You may be struggling with depression and not know it. Here are some of the signs to look out for if you suspect you’re dealing with depression:

1. Lack of pleasure in things you usually find pleasing

2. Significant weight loss or gain

3. Feel sad a lot of the time, for prolonged periods of time

4. Feeling unclear, fuzzy or lacking attention; inability to concentrate

5. Irritable, angry or generally unhappy

6. Feeling worthless

7. Excessive guilt

8. Feeling flat or unmotivated

It’s difficult to actually admit that it might be depression that you’re suffering from. Sometimes, we write these symptoms off to other things, such as stress or interpersonal problems we’re dealing with. For men, it’s harder to put the signs of depression together and admit that they’re depressed; culturally, depression implies a sign of weakness or inferiority, so many men who struggle with depression make it worse by hiding it or putting off treatment.

There is help for depression. A combination of antidepressant medications and professional counseling will help. A change in lifestyle, whether that’s more exercise, better sleep, social support, better dieting and nutrition, or investment in more meaningful activities or deeper relationships also ease the pain of depression. Depression is a multi-facted problem, with many possible causes and treatments. But, first, simply admitting that there’s a problem is the first step.

I wanted to post about a topic that I hold pretty dear, which is the relationship between your mental functioning and your mood – two things that are probably affecting your well-being, and possibly your relationship.

How you eat and take care of yourself is a reflection of the way that you respect yourself (or not), and take interest in the quality of you life. Failing to eat the right foods and not exercise will lead to obesity, other cardiovascular problems, and depression, anxiety and more stress.

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