 Hey, Psych2Goers, welcome back to another video. Do you consider yourself knowledgeable enough to spot the signs of depression in someone? If you're someone who often reads our articles, watches our videos, and frequents other psychology-related self-help websites or journals, then you might answer yes. And while we're certainly grateful for the recent mental health awareness movement that's been happening all over the world, there might still be a lot left for us to learn about the true nature of depression. Please remember this video is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional advice. With that said, here are seven surprising habits you might develop when you have depression. Number one, having a regular sleeping and eating habits. The most prominent symptom of a depressive episode is the significant disturbance in someone's sleeping and eating patterns. And yes, while the most common manifestations for this would be insomnia, weight loss, and lack of appetite, some people struggling with depression may do the opposite and end up oversleeping or overeating. This is called atypical depression, and those who have this specific type of depression are at greater risk of being undiagnosed, dismissed, and mislabeled as simply being lazy. Number two, having mood swings or outbursts. Have you noticed yourself having more difficulty controlling your emotions lately? Do you often get upset, angry, irritated, or hurt about the things you never used to before? Even though we might picture someone who's depressed as being emotionally numb, empty, and apathetic, depression can also make us moodier and more emotionally volatile. Having frequent, uncharacteristic outbursts like suddenly crying for no reason or snapping at someone out of the blue can actually be taken as a sign that someone's mental health is falling apart. Number three, making muted cries for help. Do you struggle with asking for help? As much as we might want to not need anyone else, there's no shame in asking for help when we need it. The problem is people with depression often find this painfully difficult to do for fear that they might be seen as a burden by their loved ones, or that their struggles might be invalidated and misunderstood. So they resort to making muted cries for help instead. Some examples include denying that anything's wrong, even when they're already crying or breaking down, making self-deprecating jokes or having a dark sense of humor or coming up with cover stories that are lies. Number four, overspending or impulse buying. As you're shopping or spending been out of control lately, do you often find yourself buying lots of things on impulse when you used to be frugal and financially savvy? For some people suffering from depression, this kind of behavior is not uncommon. Buying things to make you feel better and treating yourself to luxury goods to serve as a distraction or a self-esteem booster is most likely a maladaptive coping mechanism. Number five, constantly searching for meaning. Searching for meaning is something that's inherent to human nature. All of us are looking for our reason for being, wondering what our purpose is, but unlike people struggling with depression, it's not usually at the forefront of our minds. Depression, however, has a way of making us feel like we're constantly wasting our time and potential when we're not chasing greatness or success. Have you heard that famous quote written by Louisa May Alcott, I want to be great or nothing? Well, this is exactly the reason why people who are depressed are more vulnerable to feelings of nihilism and inadequacy. But in reality, even if you don't accomplish amazing goals or gain fame and riches, your life would still be worth living because existence in and of itself is already so beautiful and meaningful. Number six, pondering about life and death. Are you or someone around you frequently very philosophical? Something you might notice if you ever find yourself around people struggling with depression is that they can be very insightful, perspective, and wise beyond their years. This is because they spend a lot of their time thinking and pondering about matters like life and death. Indeed, depression can make even the most easygoing and extroverted of us more introspective, deep, philosophical, and intense. And number seven, being more creative. Last but certainly not least, something that might surprise you about depression is just how much it can fuel creativity and self-expression. Sylvia Plath, Ernest Hemingway, Frida Kahlo, Kurt Cobain, and Vincent van Gogh. What do they all have in common? Well, it's possible that they inspired the tortured artist Trope. The idea that artistic genius and mental illness often go hand in hand. We certainly aren't romanticizing depression or mental illness, but it is worth noting that having a creative outlet to better express ourselves can make a world of difference in helping us deal with such painful and powerful thoughts and feelings. So did you learn something new about the habits of depression? Remember, if you or anyone you know is struggling with feelings of depression or anxiety, please don't hesitate to reach out to a mental health care professional and get the help you need. Did you find this video insightful? Tell us in the comments below. Please like and share it with friends that might find value in this video too. Make sure to subscribe to Psych2Go and hit the notification bell for more content. As used are added in the description box below. Thanks so much for watching and we'll see you next time.