When you or someone you love is living with depression, it’s important to understand all of the symptoms you could face. That way, if something new comes up, you’ll be able to discuss it with a healthcare provider to get the treatment you need right away.

You may have experienced some of these signs of hidden depression. While they’re not always visible to others, they can greatly affect your health and quality of life. Here’s what to look for so hidden depression won’t stay hidden for long.

1. Unexpected Feelings

A lot of feelings can surface when a person is experiencing depression. While sadness is common, people can also experience hopelessness, anger, anxiety, shame, guilt, and helplessness.

It can be easy to mistake these feelings for something other than depression or to think of them as character flaws you need to work on. Instead, treating depression may help these feelings, too.

Different people may have different experiences, and you may not notice all of these feelings with depression. A member of MyDepressionTeam said they felt, “Massive overwhelm coupled with crippling anxiety and panic.” Another said that depression, for them, felt like “Persistent feelings of shame, guilt, inadequacy, and hopelessness.”

If you're feeling any combination of these feelings, talk to a healthcare provider to learn more about therapies that can help.

2. Changes in Appetite

Depression can also affect how often and how much you want to eat, as well as what foods sound good to you. These changes in your appetite can cause significant weight loss or weight gain, depending on how they affect you.

Some people with depression feel like they want to eat all the time, which can lead to weight gain. One MyDepressionTeam member described it like this: “I have an appetite no matter what.”

Others don’t want to eat much at all, which can lead to weight loss. This can be confusing. One member shared, “I just don’t know why I’m not hungry.”

Others experience both of these feelings, sometimes alternating. One member explained, ‘The appetite thing … has to stop!!! One day, I’m bingeing everything in sight. Today, I barely have an appetite.”

3. Significant Fatigue

Feeling more tired than usual or having bouts of fatigue or low energy can also be a sign of depression. While many factors may cause you to feel tired or lose energy, fatigue that doesn’t improve after resting and doesn’t have another cause may be from depression.

Fatigue can make everyday activities difficult. One MyDepressionTeam member shared, “Why am I so tired all the time? I can’t seem to break through fatigue and get a second wind.”

Sometimes people can push through it, like the member who said, “Every ‘right’ thing I do is only because I am forcing myself. … I don’t understand the insurmountable amount of fatigue. There is no medical cause.”

4. Trouble Remembering or Focusing

Some people experience a sort of brain fog when they’re living with depression. This can feel like having problems with concentration and focus, struggling to remember things, or experiencing difficulty processing ideas or making decisions.

These issues can affect people in different ways. One MyDepressionTeam member shared, “Hard to focus, definitely not in working mode today.”

Some people find that they can’t get a job or keep one, like the member who explained, “Tired of my memory getting lost on me all the time. My anxiety is so bad it affects my memory to the point I can’t hold a job.”

5. Sleep Changes

If your sleep patterns change, that might be a sign of depression. Depression can cause you to be unable to sleep, or it can cause you to sleep a lot more than usual.

People who can’t sleep may struggle to fall asleep or, like one MyDepressionTeam member, have trouble staying asleep. They described it like this: “Another night of lousy fragmented sleep. Awake every hour, and it sometimes takes hours to get back to sleep.”

People who get too much sleep may struggle to get out of bed when they’re awake. A member shared, “Today I struggled. I wanted to stay in bed.”

6. Self-Harm

People diagnosed with depression may think about hurting themselves. Some may practice self-harming behaviors. These behaviors may be connected to thoughts about not wanting to live or not caring if they live or die.

One MyDepressionTeam member reached out for support when they felt this way. They described their feelings as, “Struggling with dark thoughts … wanting to self-harm … wanting to just disappear from the world … fall asleep never to wake again.” Other members learn to care for themselves during these times, like one who shared, “Those bad self-harm … thoughts keep screaming, but I’m staying safe.”

7. Thoughts of Suicide

Thoughts about wanting to leave this world may escalate into thoughts of suicide or attempting suicide. This can be scary, whether you’re having suicidal thoughts or someone you love has them.

One of the best things you can do is be present for a person having these thoughts. One MyDepressionTeam member shared, “Yesterday I had a moment when I wanted to commit suicide. But I am here today because I have great friends.” It makes a huge difference. You can also help a loved one reach out for the help they need.

Note: If you or someone you know needs help, you can contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 or chatting online.

8. Irritability

People living with depression may seem like they get irritated or frustrated easily. Some may experience this more at certain times of day, like the MyDepressionTeam member who explained, “Feeling so irritable lately, especially in the evenings.” Others experience this alongside other symptoms of depression, like the member who said, “I’m very irritable and fatigued.”

9. New and Unexplained Physical Symptoms

Sometimes, depression shows up in your body as well as in your mind. People might feel like they have a lot of aches and pains, headaches, or digestive problems. These symptoms can show up differently, depending on how your body manifests depression.

It can be difficult to connect these physical issues to depression, since they may have other causes, too. As one member put it, “So, so very many things can mess up the digestive system. Only healthcare providers can get to the bottom of it.”

10. A Sense of Heaviness in the Body

Depression can also cause you to feel heavy in your body, especially your arms or legs. Experts call this leaden paralysis because it can make people feel paralyzed. It may feel like it takes more energy than usual to move around or like it’s impossible to find the energy to get through all your daily tasks.

11. New Patterns of Substance Use

Depression may also cause changes in how a person uses substances like alcohol, tobacco, and more. In fact, up to a third of people diagnosed with depression use drugs or alcohol, too. These substances can be a way of self-medicating to avoid some of the negative feelings associated with depression.

Fortunately, there’s hope for people whose depression causes worrisome substance use habits. One MyDepressionTeam member who experienced unhealthy substance use patterns and healing shared, “Almost done with my drug and alcohol treatment. My therapy is going good. Haven’t had any alcohol or drugs in over a year now.”

Getting Help for Depression

If you or a loved one is experiencing hidden signs of depression, talk to your healthcare provider. A doctor can help by recommending treatments such as medication and therapy to reduce symptoms and support recovery. There are many effective options for managing depression and other mental health conditions, and a mental health professional can guide you toward the approach that works best for your needs.

Talk With Others Who Understand

MyDepressionTeam is a social network for people with depression and their loved ones. On MyDepressionTeam, members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with depression.

Have you experienced any of these hidden signs of depression? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.