People with depression speak differently, says new research

People with depression speak in a different way, using particular words and speech patterns, according to new research.

In the study, published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science, researchers analysed large amounts of text taken from diary entries, personal essays and speech to work out whether communication is affected by depression.

Writing about the study for The Conversation, lead author Dr Mohammed Al-Mosaiwi from the University of Reading explained that he and his team identified several key differences in both content and style, compared to people who are not suffering from mental illness.

Depression sleeping

Representational image: Power of Positivity

Here are the linguistic signs of depression they identified:

Of course, before you start panicking about your constant use of the word ‘always’, Dr Al-Mosaiwi warned that it’s ‘possible to use language associated with depression without actually being depressed,’ adding: ‘Ultimately, it is how you feel over time that determines whether you are suffering.’

Other symptoms of depression to look out for:

If you feel this way, it’s important to talk to somebody about it or bring it up with your GP. If you think somebody else might be thinking this way, talk to them about it.

From: ELLE UK

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