Signs That You are Depressed, Not Lazy

Have you ever had days where all you wanted to do is lie in bed and do absolutely nothing else, you just wanted to be lazy and not worry about any of your responsibilities? We've all had our off days. We've all felt lazy, unmotivated, and uninspired from time to time, and it's normal to feel like that. But we live in such a hypercompetitive society that's so hyperfocused on pursuing success and wealth that it's made us feel internally guilty for the time we spend not working towards something productive.

When you overwork yourself to exhaustion and are dealing with chronic stress, it will inevitably have adverse effects on your mental and emotional health. But what if it could be more than that? What if your laziness is more than just you feeling burnt out? Here are six warning signs of depression that are more than just laziness.

Number one, you can't snap yourself out of it. A sense of laziness usually creeps in when you're overly stressed or if you've been working too hard for too long. And there are a lot of nifty tips and tricks you can use to snap yourself out of it, like making a to-do list, listening to motivational talks, or setting achievable goals. But when it's depression, depression isn't a choice, and it's definitely not something you can just shake off or get over no matter what other people tell you. Depression is a serious mental illness that needs to be treated with professional help and medication if required. Oftentimes, depressive episodes can recur throughout your life, so months of therapy may be needed to help you cope.

Number two, you can't cheer yourself up. Do you often struggle with feelings of unexplained loneliness, sadness, and hopelessness? Do you feel exhausted all the time and rarely have any energy? You might be feeling downcast and disheartened for reasons you just don't understand. And nothing you do seems to cheer you up or make you feel better. No amount of sleep, comfort food, self-care activities, or fun times with friends seem to do much to brighten your spirits. When you're battling depression, not even doing the things you used to love the most or spending time with your loved ones can make you feel better.

Number three, you've lost interest in everything. According to the American Psychological Association, a markedly diminished interest or pleasure in activities is one of the hallmarks of a depressive episode. So if you've found that your laziness has made you lose motivation and interest in everything, including school and work, then that's a sure sign that something is seriously wrong with your mental health. With depression, you tend to lose interest in your hobbies and emotionally withdraw from those around you. You prefer to stay at home and lay in bed doing nothing most of the day because you just can't find it in yourself to care enough about much of anything anymore.

Number four, you can't function like you used to. Do you feel that your laziness is getting out of hand? Has it become too much for you to manage? Is it getting in the way of your work, your school, or your personal life? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you may be dealing with depression. In diagnosing depression, psychologists tend to look at the four Ds of abnormality. They are deviance, distress, danger, and dysfunction. So if your laziness is making you dysfunctional, significantly interferes with your everyday tasks, and feels like a constant hurdle in your life, then it may be time to see a mental health care professional about it.

Number five, your laziness isn't triggered by anything. Oftentimes, laziness manifests as procrastination and may be brought on by a number of different reasons. Some believe a sense of laziness reflects a lack of self-esteem while others would argue it's because of a lack of positive recognition from others. It could also be due to a lack of discipline, self-control, and interest. But what about depression? What brings about depression? Well, the truth is psychologists don't really know. But one thing we do know for sure is that it isn't usually triggered by just one particular thing. There isn't always a clear reason for why depression might develop. So if you find yourself feeling down, disheartened, and unenergetic all of a sudden, depression may be the reason why.

And number six, your laziness isn't a choice. Finally, but perhaps most importantly, the key difference between depression and laziness is that while laziness can be changed, depression isn't so easily altered. If you're feeling tired or unmotivated, you can do something to change that for yourself. You can rest, brainstorm, look for inspiration, and try out different productivity hacks to help you get out of your funk. But with depression, it's not that easy. It's not a funk that you can just get out of. When you have depression, you're not making the choice to be depressed or stay depressed. In fact, patients with depression often report feelings of extreme guilt, shame, and helplessness due to their depression. No one with depression is ever just doing it for attention. Mental illness goes so much deeper than that.