Ambivalence, difficulty making decisions

Read more about depression treatment here. Whether it’s what to eat for lunch or if you should go to see that band with friends to whether or not you should end your relationship or look for another job, indecision can become a symptom of depression that keeps us anywhere from feeling stuck to outright paralysis. Even if you’ve considered yourself a somewhat wishy-washy individual anyway, an increase in difficulty making decisions can be a sign of depression that people come to view or understand about themselves as a character flaw.

Low level but always there irritability

Irritability is another one of those pesky little things that we sometimes beat ourselves up for or assign onto our partners as the source of. And while it may be true that there are unaddressed relationship issues or it may be true that we need more sleep or a healthier lifestyle to reign in the irritability, it may also be that despite our best efforts, that underlying irritability feels like its rolling alongside us just under the surface. This too may be a sign of depression that we seek to remedy to no avail and then start the negative self messages therefore exacerbating the depression. Beginning to see the circle emerge?

Spending too much time in your own head, even if your body is showing up for life

I think everyone can wholeheartedly agree that some level of self awareness and even self analysis is valuable if not necessary. Where things can get blurred is when that self analysis begins to slip into rumination and we can no longer enjoy our experiences in the moment because we are too tied up in evaluating our own behaviors, thoughts and feelings, and those of others. A blog post on psychologytoday.com, written by Sophia Drembling describes this in greater detail, click here for this reference. So even if you think you’re just an introvert and socialization isn’t so much for you, you may be denying yourself a richness of experience that depression keeps you from recognizing as rumination.

The good news is once you begin to see these nuances as changeable symptoms rather than as characteristics of who you are as person, you are on the path to deciding when you just don’t want to be the decision maker or when your introspection suits you and when you can push past this to a more versatile version of yourself. Contact us here to set up your first appointment with Collaborative Counseling Group.