At one point or another in our lives, we are going to get down in the dumps and feel depressed. When you are dating someone with depression, it isn’t going to be a cake walk. It’s going to test you both and it may even cause problems in your relationship. However, depression doesn’t have to be the reason why your relationship ends.
Here are 4 important things you need to remember when you’re dating someone with depressing:
1. Depression Isn’t The Same For Everyone
Someone else’s depression isn’t going to look like your depression. In fact, depression looks different for each person it affects. Symptoms can vary from person to person, men to women, young to old. Less than half of men in the US seek professional help, whereas women are more likely to seek help for their depression, especially if they are going through pregnancy or hormonal changes.
2. Depression Isn’t Just About Feeling Down Once in a While
To be clinically diagnosed as depressed, there are specific criteria that they must exhibit. However, depression can occur in a multitudes of degrees and it can manifest a variety of symptoms. You can get a full description of by checking out the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, but common symptoms include:
- Changes in mood
- Sleep disturbances
- Behavioral changes
- Weight fluctuation
- Cognitive disturbances
3. Depression Can Be Triggered By Different Things For Different People
People experience depression differently, but it can also be triggered by different things for people. Even if someone doesn’t experience persistent or chronic symptoms of depression to be formally diagnosed, ignoring symptoms can cause to serious problems, too. Depression can stem from going through a life transition, loss, perfectionism, relationship problems, seasonal changes, and other traumatic life events. Depression can also be the result of a chemical imbalance. It’s important that you, as their partner, understand what triggers your partner’s depression.