Have you ever wondered why your loved one is suddenly behaving differently? There are a few things that you notice that have changed. The way they dress or their food habits or their sleep patterns. Everything changes suddenly and for almost over 2 weeks. There is a possibility that your loved one might be depressed.

Depression is not something you can overcome by being "strong". It is not something that you experience because you are not trying "hard enough" or have "negative thinking". Rather depression is something one cannot help experiencing. Your loved one may just suddenly start having random thoughts of bad memories, or feel low for no reason at all. If you try to find out, even they will not able to exactly pinpoint as to why they are experiencing the same.

Now, one thing you need to keep in mind is that your loved one is trying extremely hard to fight these feelings on a daily basis, however, THEY WILL NOT SHOW. They might appear normal and may try harder to seem normal. But the internal battle is extremely harrowing and full of struggle. Here's how you can notice some basic signs that your loved one might be going through depression:

1. You will notice a change in their appetite. Either they will start eating more than usual or way less than usual contributing to a significant weight gain or weight loss.

2. They will speak less but might try to reach out to you when they feel lonely. On the other hand, they may also try to isolate themselves from social contact.

3. Their self-confidence will suddenly decrease and they may have constant doubts, worries and fears that they might share with you.

4. They might passingly mention thoughts of dying or leaving everything and going away.

5. Their smile might appear forced and you might see that they avoid talking about things that interest them.

The solution for this is very simple. They need someone to be non-judgmental about their condition and not give advice like, "Everyone goes through hardships in life. So you just need to buck up." or "Live each day as if it is the end." Believe me, they already know that, but they can't help being sad.

If you can just do the right thing and get the right help for your loved one at the right time, it is the best gift you can give them.