Am I lazy or depressed? Has this question also popped into your mind? If so, you may need to pause what you’re currently doing and analyze your mental health.

Regularly examining your mental health status is just as important as getting your monthly physical health checkups. Many people have neglected their mental health without noticing it. A 20-year old college student may have good grades and high quality performance in both academic and non-academic activities, but have low mental health status, which may result in negative outcomes.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that 3.8% of the population worldwide suffers from the effects of depression. The most common symptoms are loss of enjoyment and drive in doing daily activities including work or school related duties. This is where the confusion between laziness and depression comes into the minds of people.

Fortunately, there are still ways to identify whether you are just feeling lazy or already depressed without immediately seeking professional help.

The first one is feeling tired or sleepy most of the time, even if you have eight or more hours of sleep. This may indicate depression only if it lasts more than 2 weeks. According to studies, an effective way of monitoring how you’ve been feeling for a few weeks is by journaling or taking note of what you feel and act on a daily basis. Doing this not only helps you be aware of how your mental state is during the day, but it can also be a way of preventing early signs of depression.

Another known cause of the turbidity between these two is that laziness is actually another symptom of depression. But then it only becomes that if the feeling of laziness lasts longer than usual.

In most cases, this laziness not only affects productivity but also your social being. Having less and less energy and desire to reach out to friends and family and even declining to hang out with them most of the time is also a symptom of depression.

Oftentimes, laziness only becomes an alarming symptom of depression when it lasts longer than usual. If this is the case for you or for someone you know, it is highly recommended to immediately seek professional help so it can be treated as early as possible. On the other hand, if it seems like you were just feeling lazy, know that taking short breaks from working has been proven to be a healthier option compared to working non-stop.

This is also a great reminder to always take care of your mental being as well as your physical wellbeing. And now, have you asked yourself how you are doing these days?

Source: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression