“There is a stigma around mental illness,” says Cvengros, PhD, a clinical psychologist at Rush University Medical Center. In Jamies Cvengros, PhD experience, people avoid talking about depression.
Learning to recognize these six nonverbal signs can assist in helping people in your life who may be struggling with depression.
“If someone in your life is depressed, you’ll probably notice that their body language changes” Cvengros says. Some people might make less eye contact or their hand gestures may become less frequent or slower.
They may speak slower or not be as active in the flow of conversation. Similarly, they may not answer phone calls or respond to emails or texts.
Lack of engagement may extend to chores at home, or performance at work. “These signs are often misinterpreted as laziness or disinterest. There might be an underlying cause.
For many suffering from the condition, actives that they used to enjoy, they pull back from.
Some people with depression lose interest in food and have a hard time falling asleep. This can lead to eating as a way to cope with their distress.
Lack of sleep can weaken the immune system, making people more prone to infection and other illness.
After reading these signs you or a loved one may be experiencing one or many of these signs. To distinguish between normal and coping depression, pay attention to how long the changes last. “Ask how they’re doing if there is anything you can do to help,” she advises.
For additional information about depression, you can read about mental health and behavior in our medical library. You can also contact a clinical psychologist at Rush University Medical Center. Rush University Medical Center is located at 1653 W. Congress Parkway in Chicago, Illinois.
