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Don't Ignore Signs of Depression
Most severely depressed and suicidal people will give subtle signals, says Beverly Cobain, a registered nurse specializing in depression and cousin of grunge rocker Kurt Cobain, who killed himself in 1994 after years of battling depression and drug addiction.
“People look back in retrospect and see the signs,” says Cobain, author of When Nothing Matters Anymore: A Survival Guide for Depressed Teens . “They say, ‘He told me his life sucked and he might not be around, and I just thought he was joking.’ But people need to realize that is a pretty dramatic thing to say.” Before his suicide, Kurt Cobain went on TV wearing a shirt that read, “I hate myself and I want to die” — a clear cry for help, his cousin says.
“I went and talked to his grandfather before he killed himself and said we need to talk to him,” she says. “And his grandfather, God bless him, he did what other people do and he said, ‘No, no, don’t worry, he has always been that way.’ ”
Had more people recognized the signs, Kurt may have been able to get help, Cobain says.
Here are some of the signs, according to the National Institute of Mental Health:
Persistent sadness or anxiety.
Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness.
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed.
Decreased energy and fatigue.
Difficulty concentrating and making decisions.
Insomnia or oversleeping.
Loss of appetite and weight, or overeating.
Suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts.
Restlessness and irritability (particularly common with young depressed children).