 Hey Psych2goers, do you know someone who struggles with depression? Or are you struggling yourself? And not sure how to differentiate your sadness from depression. Here are signs of someone who grew up with depression. Number one, thinking they're to blame for everything. Do they blame themselves for every relationship conflict? It's noble to hold yourself responsible for the wrongdoings that you've done in the past, but a misaligned, virtuousness can be just as damaging as not facing the conflict at all. According to a study by a group of psychologists led by Ronald Zahn, self-blaming tendencies occur and over 80% of the patients they've screened. Similarly, 85% of the people in the same test believe that these self-blaming emotions are the most bothersome to deal with. While you may feel like you're taking responsibility by self-blaming, you're doing the exact opposite. You are unconsciously stonewalling yourself by not being vulnerable to your shortcomings. Instead of blaming yourself, you may find growth in finding a professional to talk to you about these problems if you still exhibit them. Number two, have physical pains with no clear underlying cause. Does your friend complain about random aches and pains with no clear reason? If yes, it may be a sign that they're trying to signal to you about their internal state. According to Julie Fraga, a doctor of psychology, the connection between physical pain and depression is more common in Asian cultures as they're likely to describe depression as pains in their physical body. These symptoms manifest as decreased pain tolerance, unbearable fatigue, headaches, and stomach uneasiness. If someone has these issues, in any case, it's good to talk to a doctor about it. Number three, anger and tantrums. While not as common as shame and low self-worth, long-term anger can be an uncommon yet telltale sign of people suffering from depression. Depression is often times referred to as anger turned inwards, since it reflects an overly critical voice that makes it hard for you to move past diminished self-worth and shame. Staying overly angry forces your mind to think of the negatives. This not only worsens the severity of depression, but it can also appear as outward manifestations of those emotions, causing a vicious cycle. Where you hurt the important people of your life when you need them the most. Number four, they were an outcast. Do they have a hard time connecting with others and maintaining long-lasting relationships? According to John Kajipo, loneliness sounds the same alarm bells as when we feel thirst, hunger, and physical pain. He also states that the American Association of Retired Persons, or AARP, conducted a study on American participants and found that around 40 to 45% of the population feel lonely in the past decade. An increase from 11 to 20% during the 1970s. But what causes it? Then how does it cause depression? Loneliness is caused by many things like heredity, our environment, circumstances, and our attitudes. Lacking social connections can lower yourself forth as well, amplifying your critical voice. To help a lonely friend, send them a comforting text or give them a call. Even if they don't want to pick up the phone at first, it'll be comforting for your friend to know that you're there for them. Number five, lack of motivation. Do they lack the motivation to get up from bed in the morning and go to school? Lacking motivation can impede you from accomplishing your goals. The lack of motivation is not the main issue here, but rather an underlying problem that's causing you to lack motivation in the first place. Are you stuck in a situation that you'd rather not be in? Do you feel that you can't commit to one thing? By pinpointing the main cause of your lack of motivation, you can come up with a plan of action to become better, whether it's by improving yourself in small, gradual steps or getting out of a bad situation. Number six, they express hopelessness about their future. Do they feel like they have nothing to look forward to because they feel stuck in a rut? This may be hopelessness, depression. Lynn Abramsen, a professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin Madison, says the repeated exposure to perceived uncomfortable circumstances and negative stimuli leads to a sense of helplessness. This helplessness in turn can spiral into a negative world view and depression. A lot of this has to do with how our mind works. If your mind assumes that an argument within acquaintance was due to your own shortcomings, causing them to never want to associate with you, therefore ruining your reputation, you'll likely suffer from hopelessness. On the other hand, if you believe that their irritability is temporary and won't lead to actual adverse effects, you won't be affected as much. If you're still struggling today, we hope that you can find a little bit of positivity through the little things, whether it's your pet, a walk in the park, or the lovely people in the most unexpected places. Can you relate to any of the things discussed in this video? Let us know in the comments below. As always, the references and studies used are listed in the description below. If you liked this video, share it with someone who you think might benefit. Take care, and as always, thanks for watching. See you next time.