Widespread Disease: Hidden Depression

If life no longer makes sense, if you see everything negatively and you cannot find a way out, you should definitely seek professional help!

According to the German Depression Aid Foundation, more than 5.3 million German citizens suffer from depression every year. Age or social status are irrelevant. Often it is a  hidden depression,  because many sufferers are not even aware that they are suffering from it.

Stress, responsibility and multiple burdens often lead to this clinical picture, which is not recognized as such, because symptoms such as bad mood, negative feelings, mood swings or muscle pain are often attributed to other triggers.

It often happens that life no longer makes sense for those affected, that everything is moving in the wrong direction and expectations are no longer met. Nevertheless, everyday life usually goes on without any changes being made to alleviate the suffering of the soul.

Internal defenses can be helpful at first, but if this situation persists for a long time and the appropriate measures are not taken, various psychosomatic disorders can arise.

A  hidden depression  can have serious consequences. We invite you to reflect on this topic with us.

The Hidden Depression is slowly but surely developing

Most of the time there is no definite event that leads to depression, but rather a series of circumstances that progressively contribute to it. Unemployment, the loss of a loved one, relationship problems, and other worries can all lead to this.

• Hidden depression often shows up in people who seem to have everything they need to be happy: a family, a roof over their heads, a job …
• Depressed thoughts multiply like weeds in the garden until they overgrow everything. Dissatisfaction, emotional exhaustion and the feeling of losing control of life spread.
• Over time, one has no more joy and feels obligations as great pressure, which is also expressed in physical complaints.

Negative feelings become normal and shape everyday life, the hidden depression becomes obvious.

Initial symptoms are not associated with depression

Those affected often consult their family doctor due to extreme exhaustion and everyday complaints that cannot be precisely defined. A blood test cannot confirm a more serious condition, so the doctor may recommend better nutrition, vitamins, or more rest.

• But after a few months another visit to the doctor takes place. Because meanwhile, severe back pain complicates everyday life. The doctor recommends physical therapy to alleviate this.
• But insomnia and nervousness also spread, whereupon the doctor prescribes benzodiazepines (sleeping pills and sedatives).
• Only after months or years (!) Is the patient referred  to a psychiatrist who makes the correct diagnosis:  depression.

Those affected often do not accept the diagnosis

This disease is still very negative and is felt by many as a “shame” and therefore not accepted. Often, outsiders don’t understand the situation, which can make the problem even worse.

• Depressed people are still viewed as weak and negative, but it is a disease that requires (combined) therapy and social support.
• However, many sufferers have the feeling that with the diagnosis the world stops and everything changes. One is thus forced to face the inner demons. The causes of the distress must be recognized and treated in order to escape from the dark valley. You can’t just continue to act like nothing happened just to stay functional.

It is not easy to admit depression, but this is the only way to successfully treat it.

How do you recognize a hidden depression?

Psychologists use a catalog of questions and various symptoms to make the diagnosis:

• insomnia
• apathy
• Mood swings
• helplessness
• the feeling that everything is going wrong and nothing makes sense,  the feeling of losing control of your own life.

There are also other symptoms that are often not recognized by those affected. Self-harm or thoughts of suicide are also clear signs of depression.

If you observe symptoms in yourself or in those around you  , seek help from experts to escape the depression. 

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