Does depression affect the way you look?

[Invidia]

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Edited April 1, 2013 by Invidia

[brokenchina]

Yes. I try to groom, etc., but sometimes it just doesn't happen. I also look physically ill in the face sometimes (pale, etc.) and the rings under my eyes get darker no matter how much sleep I get. The main thing people would say when I was coming out of my last severe depressive episode that my eyes looked clear/alive; I think they tend to look a bit "dead" when I'm really depressed. Not to mention the weight loss or gain too   

[Indigo 'n dye]

Absolutely. I look exhausted and haggard. I either sleep too much or too little and thus develop black arcs beneath my eyes that look as if I have been slugged. My complexion dulls and I tend to accumulate a plethora of pimples in mt "T-zone".

 

As I tend to not drink adequate water, I develop sores in the corners of my mouth and my skin becomes dry and scaly.

 

Flash sees that I shower and change clothes, but I just stop caring and it shows. I have seen photos and they are not pretty.

[Phoenix_Rising]

Like BC said, my eyes tend to look dead and I get dark circles under them regardless of how much sleep I'm getting.

 

I also slouch over quite a bit, like I'm drawing into myself.

 

I also get the dry skin.

 

I generally look dirty and disheveled and scared.

[Kaashii]

Holy crap, my depression DEFINITELY affects how I look.  It's easy for almost anyone to see that I've hit a depressive episode when they look at me.  I don't bother keeping up with my hair dye, so it grows out into its usual black and grey mess and I just shove it all in a clip when I go somewhere.  It gets frazzled and I just don't have the energy or desire to keep up with it.   I also don't eat much or well and don't drink a lot of water, so I really get sickly looking.   I've normally got an olive complexion and I manage to turn white as a ghost when I'm depressed - I start getting called Morticia Adams and even my SO's mom's doctors tell ME to get well soon even though they don't know about my diagnosis.  I guess the major dark circles under my eyes and the fact that even my voice goes pretty flat also give it away.

 

I also just completely stop giving a crap about what I wear.  I don't wear shorts at all because I don't shave my legs.  I just throw on a pair of track pants, my old and busted sandals and whatever t-shirt I pull out of the drawer or my laundry pile that doesn't look or smell dirty. 

 

I guess I just get so depressed that I just completely wind down and don't have the energy to even give a crap anymore.

[Dusk]

I wear dirty, worn clothes, don't brush my teeth or hair as I should, wear flip-flops when I have to go out even in 20 degree weather, etc. And since I'm unable to work I rarely go out to places I "have" to do more than the minimum.

 

I have never had a problem with showering, fortunately.

[Ruby Red Dress]

 I don't bother keeping up with my hair dye, so it grows out into its usual black and grey mess...

 

This is exactly why I haven't started dying my hair!  I bought a box of hair coloring over 6 months ago, and the fear that I won't keep up on it is one of the things that keeps from from just biting the bullet & doing it.  The other is the allergy test...I barely have the gumption to dye my hair, so performing the allergy test 48 hours before seems overwhelming.  

 

I'm sure my appearance has suffered from my depression...I suffer from many of the afflictions listed above...I only do my laundry when I *have* to, I wear the same clothes for days, I shower about once a week now, I only brush my teeth on the days that I have to go to work...the list goes on & on.

[Cacia]

;

Edited July 8, 2013 by Cacia

[Rowlena]

I know I start to show it, my hair starts falling out in clumps, my face does not 'sparkle' and my eyes dull.  I also break out.

[Bipolar_Flower]

Yes. I am depressed right now. No make up, pajamas-that I've worn for days, hair not brushed, haven't showered, teeth not brushed. Back when I had long hair my hair would become so knotted it looked like a nest. Took tons of stuff to fix it.

Edited March 18, 2013 by Bipolar_Flower

[lysergia]

i'll just echo what was already said about lack of caring about appearance.  my tdoc knows me well enough now that even if i'm wearing clean clothes and such, the look on my face tells her exactly where i am on the bipolar scale.  my eyes don't lie, i guess.  or rather the dark circles underneath them.  and my lack of facial expression, when i'm usually quite animated.

[6o9o6]

After I got out of the hospital my first time, apparently there was more color to my face, and I looked better. ^.^

 

I couldn't imagine what I looked like before I got in there if there was that much of a difference! :c

[Kaashii]

My treatment providers can definitely pick up on the severity of my depression before they even ask how I'm doing, too.  I can wear clean clothes and try to look decent and they can see right through it.  I think it probably irritates them more when I do that.  I'm probably going to get some bewildered looks when I go in there with glitter polish on my nails tomorrow, but that wasn't so much caring about my appearance as it was to stop me from chewing on them.  Does anyone else find that if they DO try to make themselves look better in the middle of a depression that it makes them feel worse?  I think I feel more depressed because I wasted whatever time, money and energy I put into it and still look like crap, then I get irritated because I was stupid enough to desperately try something like that again.

[wj74]

Definitely. I don't wear makeup, throw on whatever clothes and sometimes skip showers. I generally look exhausted and flat, I don't have that sparkle in my eyes. I can say I'm sick and people believe me.

Edited March 19, 2013 by wj74

[forgetmenot220]

I think that even though I may TRY to look ok when I'm feeling bad, it shows on my face. I'm told too often that you can tell what I'm thinking/feeling by the look on my face. Despite me trying to not let that happen....

 

I tend to not wear my contacts, the same shirt a couple days in a row, a hat if I haven't showered (my telltale sign that I haven't showered/don't care), have dark circles under my eyes, etc.

 

Hubby has said that I don't look as "pale" as I did before I went in when I have been hospitalized.

[lynyah]

I usually wash my hair every other day, its on the dry side and i keep it short. I have dark red circles under my eyes, i dont sleep well. If i could wear the same clothes every day i would but i alternate my tshirts and hoodies, i wear the same jeans for a couple of days then switch. I usually have to talk myself into doing these things. I gained some weight and feel like crap, no desire at all.

Dx: PTSD, depression, eating disorder, self injury

Rx: Viibryd, Strattara, Klonopin(prn), Ambien cr

[melissaw72]

For me it really shows on my face.  My eyes apparently look different when depressed.  One of my DRs (neuro) really picks up on it sometimes before I realize I am, and he says I look really "under the weather"; that's when I realize I must be depressed.  I don't even know it half the time.

 

Fortunately I still shower and all when I am depressed or I get really ancy and feel gross, making the agitation I have at the time much worse. 

 

But other than my face showing something, I don't think others can pick up on it because I shower, get out (usually), etc.

[bluelikejazz]

Not always. 

At one stage people kept telling me I looked great. I think I felt so bad I was going out of my way to disguise it. 

 

I always have really dark circles under my eyes (combination of allergies and pale, thin skin) and even with heavy concealer I still look exhausted.

 

P.S Lynyah I noticed you're new, welcome

If you go to your profile you can put your rx and dx in your signature so you don't have to type it out every post, let me know if you want help with that or anything else.

Edited March 19, 2013 by bluelikejazz

[Brokendishes]

I think that even though I may TRY to look ok when I'm feeling bad, it shows on my face. I'm told too often that you can tell what I'm thinking/feeling by the look on my face. Despite me trying to not let that happen....

 

I tend to not wear my contacts, the same shirt a couple days in a row, a hat if I haven't showered (my telltale sign that I haven't showered/don't care), have dark circles under my eyes, etc.

 

Hubby has said that I don't look as "pale" as I did before I went in when I have been hospitalized.

That's me too...I spackle the makeup on to hide my misery but people just 'know' when I'm depressed.  And I *hate* hate hate when they're like "Are you ok? You look tired...You don't seem like yourself today...." Gimme a flippin break! Am I supposed to be f'ing Mary Poppins every day?! I hate that concerned face they get too... Just leave me alone...as if you care...as if you can help... You know?...I mean, they're perfectly happy contented little sheeple going home to their kids and having sex with their SO's...And I'm alone, mistreated, abused, gaslighted, untouched and completely and utterly miserable.

 

I don't say things to people like, gee you look tired today or wow you've put on weight...like, how rude?! I may think it but I don't say it...I figure if someone looks tired and they 'wanna talk about it' I'll listen...but I know how it feels so I don't want to make them feel worse by being like, Hey you really look like shit today!... 

 

All I know is there isn't a concealer in the world that will cover up my dark circles enough and there isn't enough luminizer on the planet to make my skin not look dull, tired, flat and worn out... And once I leave work, all that shit comes off anyways and I'm back in my jammies and slippers and fuzzy robe.  I've gotten to the point where I don't give a rats ass if the neighbors think I'm nuts..I *am* nuts...

[DontStopMeNow]

I wonder this all the time, except I wonder if the appearance alteration (dark circles under eyes, sallow skin) is permanent. Both your mood and how much your body is physically taxed can affect how you look, I suspect.

 

Probably I'll end up looking 60 by the time I'm 35 because of being depressed/anxious so often. 

[A208B]

I could pretty much repeat everything everyone else has written in this thread: Tired face, poor posture, not changing clothes, dark circles, caring less about hygiene so fewer (or no) showers/teeth-brushings/lotion-applyings/smell-nicings. My hair also gets super lank even though its maintenance doesn't change--for some reason, dying/washing my hair feelings like a soothing, self-care thing and I love doing it, even when I'm depressed and have no energy.

[guest_hamster]

Yes

Edited April 30, 2013 by hamster

[Breebree93]

I look high as a kite when I'm depressed. I get red circles around my eyes, get pale, nails get brittle and break, my hair gets greasy, I smell kinda funny, legs get hairy, eyes are wide and sad at the same time...

 

depression fucks my style

[little_cloud]

I've been like this for the past few weeks. How do i know I'm not just being lazy. I've been off work for this time too but just feel like i should get up and get on with it. I can't help but feel I'm just being lazy

[lysergia]

My eyes become sunken and I avoid direct eye contact. I start to stammer and mis-pronounce words too. My posture becomes quite bad as well and I start to shuffle rather than stride

 

this, definitely, for me too.

[assailya]

This might sound strange but lately, vanity is the only thing I have the capacity to do. I get dolled up almost every day. Fancy makeup, I often do my hair in vintage pin curls, and I love wearing dresses and heels. I don't know, its the only thing that makes me feel human, so I force myself to do it. If I stay looking disheveled and just wear sweatpants, it makes me feel noticibly worse.

[thefatalfetus]

yes. when im depressed the furthest i go is washing up and brushing my teeth. and even that is a big feat.

[Anna]

For me it's not the grooming.... my depression shows on my face.  It's not pretty.

Anna

[BlueandBlue]

Yes.

 

I think I'm hiding it but apparently I ALWAYS look exhausted with dark circles under my eyes.

 

In my last big episode I also didn't shower for over a week. That didn't help.

[anne_g]

When I am depressed it definitely shows in my eyes.  In fact when I look in the mirror I feel sad for myself.   depression is no fun.  when I am depressed which is usually to one degree or another about 7 months of and on out of the year, at severe stages I can go for months without focus, dreaming of escaping my life and its responsibilities.    Ever seen those unsolved mysteries where people just turn up missing but probably aren't dead. thats what I feel like doing because I am ashamed to show my eyes.  I need to figure out how to hide the depression and sadness in my eyes, it is embarrassing.  Lately when I'm depressed i thinking of fixing up or even getting in the shower seems like a daunting task.   worse for me I have lived a life where the people who are supposed to love me have done nothing but take advantage of me.  If you are sitting on your sofa and are obviously depressed and everyone around you acts like it is not happening, it is a very bad feeling.   rather than kill myself I would like to just dissappear since noone cares if I'm dead or alive.   I have a daughter who as a teenager ran away with my ex husband(wanted to do things a 14 /15 year old shouldn't be doing.  This daughter hasn't spoken to me really since that time, she is now 26.  Worse, in my heart of hearts I believe my daughter was molested( why else would she still not be speaking to me(as her only claim for not doing so, is that I threw holy water on her bedroom walls when she was 15).   This doesn't sound like a legitimate excuse after 11 years.   Anyway, I could go on and on, how bout this my second husband stole all of the money out of the bank while I was off taking care(burying my dying father)  And my first husband my daughters father likes to occassionally call up and yell that's why you don't have a relationship with your daughter because you are a loser.  Who am I ? I am the person who has tried so hard in my life to care for the people in my life only to be stepped on and abused.  Oh yeah, when my daughter ran away (with her father and the new wife(him 38 her 19 the new wife) they took my daughter to the police station and had my daughter tell the police I was abusive (never abused my kid).  Tried to have the daughter get me locked up.  Then the new 19 year old wife and my daughter called me up and called me all kid of bitches and bad moms as the ex husband laughed loudly in the background. My daughters answer to this... oh mom you are always the victim.   Marriage to her father meant being physically abused, called names beaten up while pregnant yelling and screaming.  Raising my daughter was very difficult because for the 15 years she was with me, it meant having to deal with a man who was an absolute abuser.  physically and emotionally.  On times when he would pick her up he would take the opportunity to to lay hands on me.  Now Well this forum was supposed to be just about sad eye and wanting to bail out. I need to pick a day to decide to stop caring about everyone else.  in the case of my daughter, As time goes on my intuition gives me the sneaking suspicion /nagging suspicion that she must have been molested.  I pray to God that it is just my imagination running wild, because otherwise I become even more sad because I would like to kill someone if this is the case.   But  you can't just go around telling people they must have done it, because abusers will never admit it (it takes the victim to come forward)  Then I second guess what I'm thinking because the person I think might have done this she still talks to.  Anyway in closing I am just venting.  I have given up on having a normal relationship with my daughter.  Way to many secrets surrounding this situation.   Who stays angry for 15 yrs over holy water.   My life has been from beginning to end, one tragedy after the other.  Why is it the people that do all the lying and abusing the ones who have all the fun.   Right now I am just trying to get my son who is 14 through to adulthood. He is a ninth grader with calculus and advanced classes across the board. He alo studies french and chinese.  I wonder how my constant underlying sadness truly effects him.    In any regard if I can just see him through high school I would be happy.  I have 450,ooo dollars in life insurance that will be left to him should I pass, because I imagine my constant sadness is seriously effecting my health and cutting my life short.   Anyway... in my sad eyes these things seriously resonate, its as if i see a zombie in the mirror. signed I think my daughter was molested by one of the two men in my life.    If  so, if she blames me, I don't blame her , i have asked her a few times and she said no.  so as I was saying if she blames me/hell she don't have to I would blame myself for failing to protect her.   Seriosly people... it's time to check out!... that my abuser abused me is one thing, that my abuser may have abused my daughter this would be horrific and a good reason to just throw in the towel.   No I am not interested in seeing my daughter anymore, we have lost way too much time and don't even know each other anymore.  so tragic. and whatever she's carrying around with her is affecting her emotionally so she loses too. Just ranting on whats behind my sad eyes.

gone

[melissaw72]

Quote

I think I'm hiding it but apparently I ALWAYS look exhausted with dark circles under my eyes.

^^THIS.