The term “depression” shouldn’t be taken lightly.
A lot of people are being forced to keep with mental illnesses even though they can be perfectly unaware of it. And when left unchecked or untreated, a mental illness like depression can potentially be threatening to a person’s life and relationships. There is no doubt that if a person is dealing with depression in a relationship, then that depression can be the source for a myriad of problems. Depression has the potential to quickly sap the life and vigor out of the relationship, and it can even turn your own partner against you if you’re not careful. When you are forced to deal with depression, life gets just infinitely more difficult and you really have to work hard to get things on the right track.
While a relationship can be a source of joy in your life, it has the potential to being what causes you stress and anxiety if you leave your depression untreated. And remember that it’s never really obvious whenever depression starts eating away at your relationship from the inside. It’s always very discreet and subtle in its approach but its effects are heavy. Sometimes, being self-aware and being educated about your mental condition can be a good step in helping alleviate the problems brought about by depression in your relationship.
So how do you know for sure if you have depression? And how do you know if it’s affecting your relationship in a negative manner? Well, there are some signs that you can indeed keep an eye out for. Here are 7 signs that your relationship is plagued by depression:
1. You have a poor and inactive sex life.
In any modern relationship, it’s always important to maintain a happy and healthy sex life. This is important because sex can do wonders for keeping the flames and passions of a relationship alive. It’s also a great show of trust and respect between two people who love one another and who are willing to be vulnerable to each other. When there is a lack of sex drive, then there is something serious going on there that definitely needs to be addressed
2. You seem to always be arguing with one another.
You let your depression get the best of you and so you end up as someone who is always moody and irritable. Your depression is always causing you to have negative thoughts and that negativity can sometimes be contagious. Your partner will end up feeling down because of all the negative energy that you’re giving off and this can often lead to petty arguments and fights.
3. You feel helpless in turning things around in the relationship.
One of the biggest indications that a person has depression is when that person is always caught in a state of helplessness. People who are battling depression often have very dim views of their world and their future. They are often pessimistic and they feel like the problems and challenges that are thrown their way are always enough to overpower them. Depression can manifest itself in powerlessness.
4. You get overwhelmed by your own emotions easily.
Emotions are always heavier than usual when a person is dealing with depression especially the negative emotions. Anger, sadness, jealousy, anxiety, and stress are all very common symptoms of a person who is dealing with depression. This is most true when a person is forced to deal with these feelings constantly and consistently. If you feel like you are losing control over who you are and what you want to do a lot of the time, then maybe it’s an indication that your emotions are overpowering your mental faculties. Your feelings are plaguing your ability to be reasonable.
5. You find it hard to connect with others.
You find it very hard to relate and connect with other people including your partner. This is why depression can be particularly harmful for a relationship. When you stop trying to build on the bond or the connections that you have with your partner, then you are essentially dooming your relationship into mediocrity. In an ideal relationship, the people involved are always trying to connect and relate to one another. This is very difficult for a person who is dealing with depression.
6. You stop taking care of yourself.
You stop caring about what it means to look presentable. You stop caring about what it means to be healthy and full of life. You stop caring about the importance of being positive. That’s what happens whenever depression starts to take hold of your life. You stop thinking that life is worth making an effort for and that’s a scary place to be in.
7. You develop a dependence on substances.
Lastly, the biggest sign that you are letting depression affect your relationship is when you develop an addiction or a reliance on substances like drugs or alcohol. Remember that addiction is a mental illness and it definitely needs to be treated.
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