 Zai has been feeling so exhausted that he doesn't even have the energy to hang out with his friends. He still wants to spend time with the people he loves and do things he enjoys, but he's frustrated because his fatigue is preventing him from doing so. He's had trouble sleeping and has been feeling like this for the past week. He often asks himself, am I depressed or just tired? After all, according to a 2018 study by Ganyan and colleagues, Fatigue occurs in over 90% of people with depression, so it can be hard to tell the difference. Based on his symptoms, do you think Zai is tired or depressed? Keep watching till the end of the video to find out the answer and to learn four signs that you might be depressed, not just fatigued. Number one, your interest. One of the main differences between depression and tiredness is your level of interest. In an interview with Healthline, Alex Dmitriou, a sleep expert and psychiatrist, explained that he asks his patients a key question to determine whether they are depressed or just sleep deprived. Do you feel too tired to do enjoyable activities, but still wish you could participate in them? Or do you have no interest in doing these activities at all? If you feel tired but are still interested in doing things that bring you pleasure, you're less likely to be depressed. But if you feel uninterested in doing anything, then this could be a warning sign of depression. Number two, your mood. Feeling physically tired is one thing, but severe negative change in your mood is another story. According to very well-mined, if you're depressed, you might feel hopeless or have a low sense of self-worth. You might also notice that you can't concentrate well and have a harder time making decisions. Did you know that mood swings are also common in people with depression? A 2017 study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry showed that mood instability was highly correlated with depressive symptoms. If you've been having noticeable fluctuations in your mood, this may be a sign that depression is the root cause of your fatigue. Number three, speech and eye movement. When we think of depression, we often think of its emotional effects rather than the physical. But according to a 2010 study, depression affects psychomotor skills, a combination of bodily movement and cognitive processes. This includes speech and eye movement. Do you feel that you've become less articulate or pause more during conversations? Maybe you don't make eye contact as much as you used to or speak more quietly with less enthusiasm and emotion. All of these changes are indicators of reduced psychomotor function related to depression. And number four, persistent symptoms. Time for a check-in. If you relate to the points in this video so far, how long have you been experiencing these symptoms? We all feel down sometimes and occasional sadness is not necessarily an indicator of depression. If you only have these symptoms every once in a while rather than persistently, you may not meet the diagnostic criteria for clinical depression. According to the World Health Organization, for your symptoms to be characterized as a depressive episode, they must occur for at least two weeks, almost every day and for most of the day. Have you been experiencing all of the symptoms we've listed persistently for over two weeks? If yes, you may be suffering from depression, especially if your symptoms include feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and a loss of interest in pleasurable activities. If you relate to the signs mentioned in the video, we want to remind you to be kind to yourself and you can always talk to a mental health professional. So after watching this video, did you come up with the answer to size question? You guessed it. He was tired but not depressed. He was still interested in doing enjoyable activities. He wasn't experiencing any major mood changes and his fatigue had only been going on for a week. So it's more likely that he's experiencing temporary tiredness rather than depression. Have you been experiencing fatigue, depression, or both? Share in the comments below to relate to others in our community. To learn more about this topic, check out 10 Things Only Depressed People Will Understand. If you found this video helpful, leave a like and share it with those who might benefit from it. Subscribe for more educational mental health content. Until next time and thanks so much for watching.