Recognizing depression in your loved ones or even in yourself can be a turning point for those struggling who need help. Sometimes depression isn't obvious. You might imagine someone with depression laying in bed, unable to move or get up to go to work or eat. They might struggle to take care of themselves on the most basic level. Severe depression can certainly look that way. But it can also appear in a lot subtler ways.

Some people who struggle with depression conceal or mask their depression and it can be hard to pick up on the warning signs unless you know what to look for. Here are 5 signs that someone is struggling with depression - and is good at masking it.

1. They display deep empathy.

People who mask their depression often express their hurt through the hurt of others. They express and display deep empathy.

If you're feeling broken and empty, they'll be by your side emphasizing and listening. If a tragedy occurs to someone else, they might take on that tragedy as their own and feel the pain as if it were happening to them.

They may try and mask their own feelings and emotions, but they allow themselves to live these things through others while pretending their own lives are absolutely fine.

2. They spend most of their time alone.

People with depression are known to spend time alone. You might picture them in a dark bedroom, alone, doing absolutely nothing.

It's not always obvious that excessive alone time is a sign of depression though.

People who mask their depression may still spend most of their time alone and they may or may not lie about what they're doing in that alone time. Sometimes they'll say they were busy on a hobby or craft, working or cleaning, doing productive things with their time. Other times they'll avoid talking about their time and try to steer the conversation in a different direction completely.

They may cancel plans to hangout with friends and family on a regular basis, usually making up excuses as to why.

Pay close attention if you notice a loved one spending excessive amounts of time alone.

3. They sometimes appear overly happy.

People struggling with depression and working to mask it will often overcompensate with their emotions. They may appear overly (and abnormally) happy. They work hard to appear positive and make others laugh. They might be full of jokes and kind words of encouragement.

Sometimes the people struggling the most are the people you'd expect it from the least because of this tendency to overcompensate.

If you know someone who's always happy and never seems to struggle, they may be secretly struggling with depression.

4. They have inconsistent sleeping and eating patterns.

They might sleep a lot, sometimes during the day and sometimes during the night. Their sleep patterns may be erratic and inconsistent. It's not uncommon for people with depression to take long naps or struggle with insomnia (or both).

They also might have strange eating patterns, sometimes skipping meals and hardly eating and other times eating a significant amount in a short period of time.

Regular and consistent eating and sleeping patterns are important for both mental and physical health. Someone struggling with depression may not be able to care for themselves on this basic level and it may affect all areas of their lives.

Pay close attention if someone you know is sleeping strange, inconsistent hours and struggling to eat (or binging on food).

5. They stop doing things they used to enjoy.

Depression takes the joy out of life and people with depression will eventually stop doing the things and activities they once enjoyed.

They'll pull away from their favorite hobbies and pastimes and may start to act like they don't enjoy them anymore.

While it can be normal and healthy to find new activities and hobbies to enjoy while finding the old ones less fun, it may be a sign of depression if someone stops all activities together.

If they don't replace their excitement for one activity with another, and just lose that enthusiasm completely, it may be a sign they have a depression and are trying to hide it.

What can you do?

Recognizing the signs of depression in a loved one is the first step. Once you're concerned they may be struggling with depression, it's time to reach out and talk with them.

It's ok to voice your concern and ask if you can help them schedule an appointment to see a general practitioner or therapist for further help.

Depression is treatable and no one should have to live with it for long. Speaking up about your concerns and love for the person may be the difference between them seeking help and living with that burden for another day.

Are you still searching for your life purpose? You won't believe what the science of Numerology can reveal about you!

That's right, the numerology of your birth date, regardless of what month you were born, can reveal surprising information about your personality.

Unlock the messages hidden in your Personality Code now with your free personalized video report!

Click HERE to learn what Numerology says about your life using only your Name and Birth Date.

If you found this information interesting or helpful, please remember to SHARE this article with your family and friends on Facebook!

Sometimes when you're in a relationship or partnership with someone you love, it can be hard to express your love for them in a way that they'll recognize. After all, everyone has unique love languages, traits, language, and expectations surrounding how to show and receive love. When you love someone deeply and unconditionally, it's important to show them that love in a way that's meaningful and recognizable to them.

And while it may seem like showing love should come naturally, it's actually an art that can be practiced and perfected. Here are 8 ways you can express your love to your partner:

1. Grow through your disagreements.

Every couple goes through disagreements and arguments. It's normal and can be healthy when done properly. Believe it or not, you can actually express your love to your partner through these disagreements and arguments.

Learning to fight better is a powerful way to express your love. Rather than allow the arguments to pull you apart, use them to learn more about your partner and grow together as a couple through the experience. Take every disagreement as a learning opportunity to strengthen your relationship and your partner will feel your love through it.

Learn how to keep your partner coming back for more, click here and watch this free video from relationship expert, Amy North.

2. Learn their love language and speak it often.

Every person feels and expresses love differently, but there are 5 primary "love languages" that people lean towards in expressing and feeling love. Discovering which love language your partner has is key to ensuring they truly feel your love on a regular basis.

Once you know what love language they have, make an effort to speak to them in that language. Here are some ways to express love for each of the love languages:

Acts of Service: Do chores, errands, and tasks for them that they may not want to do themselves.

Physical Touch: Give them a rub on the back, a pat on the shoulder, or a nuzzle on the neck in passing.

Quality Time: Make a date for just the two of you to spend time together. Leave your phone at home and focus on being fully present.

Gifts: Grab them a little gift on your way home from the store. Surprise them randomly with something you know they'd love. It doesn't have to be their birthday or Christmas to give gifts and express your love.

Words of Affirmation: Remind them daily how beautiful or kind they are, how great they look, how much you love them. Speak kind words and compliments of your love and they'll hear you on a deep level.

3. Be painfully honest.

Speak your truth and hold space for them to speak their truth. Creating a painfully honest environment allows you to speak the truths of your heart, including your unconditional love. And with such an honest space, it's likely your partner will truly believe and cherish your honesty and feel your love.

4. Share your excitement for your future together.

Don't hold back about expressing your excitement for your future together. If you're thinking of marriage, kids, vacations, career shifts, etc., share your thoughts and feelings with your partner - and make sure to include them in the future scenarios.

This affirms your desire to stay with your partner and your love for them and your time and life together.

5. Show pride in them.

Did they get a promotion at work? Achieve a fitness goal they've worked hard for? Make a new friend? Whatever it is, show pride in them for their accomplishments and achievements.

Rather than get jealous, get excited and proud for your partner and ooze these feelings all over them! It'll show them your true love.

6. Hold space for them to be emotionally vulnerable.

Foster an open atmosphere that allows for emotional vulnerability. Hold space for your partner to simply be, in whatever emotional state they may be experiencing. Hold them tight, or give them space (whatever they need in the moment).

By being there and being open to their emotions without judgement, you're expressing unconditional love.

7. Ask them for advice and opinions.

Show that you care deeply about their opinions and advice by asking for their opinions and advice! It'll make them feel heard, valued, and loved.

8. Speak highly of them when they're not around.

When you're talking to your family, friends, or coworkers, make sure to speak highly of your partner. Let everyone know your love for them. Everyone should know you're in a relationship with someone you love and respect deeply - and that will eventually get back to them.

How you speak of them to others when they're not around is a clear way to really show your partner your love. Though indirect, it's effective and powerful.

There are many ways to express your love to your partner. Finding the ways that work for you and your loved one is the most important key in making sure you're both seen and heard.

For more expert relationship advice and tips on how to make a long lasting relationship, watch this video: Click Here To Watch The Full Video

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If you've ever been in a relationship with someone and think things are going great only to end up ghosted - you're not alone. Ghosting is becoming more and more common...and it drives women crazy.

Here's how it often goes: A woman is ghosted or things end suddenly, and she ends up bombarding her ex's phone with non-stop text messages, longing for closure. She might even show up to his house, workplace, or other locations he frequents. Then when he still doesn't text her back, she obsesses over the relationship, everything that happened, trying to make sense of everything. She might even wait around, expecting him to come back and apologize any moment. She wonders what's wrong with her and what she did wrong. She hopes he's thinking of her like she is of him.

Here's the thing about guys though. If they're interested, you'll know it. And if they're not? It's time to move on. When someone isn't interested, it's a waste of time to try and change that.

Besides that, if you truly want a chance with them again (which, why would you if they ghosted you, but if you did), sending texts and acting desperate will just push them away further. Showcasing the strong woman that you are will get heads turning, though!

A strong woman, an Alpha woman, does things a little differently when she realizes a guy isn't into her.

A strong woman respects herself enough to move on with grace.

She doesn't sacrifice her dignity and self-respect by sending a million text messages and leaving endless voicemails. If she's ghosted, she reflects the silence that's given to her right back at them.

A strong woman does grieve the relationship, but she does so with purpose. She doesn't lay around sobbing and watching soap operas for weeks. She mourns in a way that feels good to her for a maximum of three days. Then, she puts her "big girl pants" back on and carries on with life.

A strong, Alpha woman knows that she'll find someone better. After all, if someone ghosted her or ended things distastefully, they're not emotionally mature enough to be in a healthy relationship to begin with. She recognizes that and may even be happy when a situation like that arises so she can move on quicker to someone worth her time and energy.

Being treated poorly really opens your eyes to the depths of that person's core and emotional intelligence. A strong woman might even thank them for showing her their true colors early on.

Learn how to keep your partner coming back for more, click here and watch this free video from relationship expert, Amy North.

A strong woman doesn't settle.

Beyond handling being dumped or ghosted with grace and dignity, a strong woman also knows when she needs to end things and she does so unapologetically. She's unafraid to move on from a relationship if she's being treated as second-best or being undervalued.

She regularly reassess her relationships to ensure she's being met with respect and appreciation.

She ends things gracefully if and when need be. She doesn't offer lengthy explanations or drawn-out apologies. Rather, she calls for a simple face to face meeting (or even a phone call) and explains that she doesn't see long-term potential in the relationship and doesn't want to waste either of their time any longer.

She thanks him for their time together and wishes him well. That's it. No apologies, sob stories, explanations, or quests for closure. After all, at the end of the day if things didn't work out, it doesn't really matter why. There's no need to dive into the relationship once it's already ended.

She knows that if things don't work out with one man, there are others. There are enough men for every person and her "Mister Right" is out there somewhere. She's willing to stay single until she finds a man with the right traits.

A strong woman refuses to chase love.

Trying to "fight" for love with the wrong person never ends well and she knows it. She has too much self-respect and dignity to push for things to work in a relationship that's anything less than great.

As romanticized as it is to chase after people and do crazy things in the name of love, a strong woman knows her worth and refuses to chase anyone who doesn't value her - and men respect her for it.

While it may feel right to cling to your relationship and "fight" for your ex in the name of love, channeling your inner Alpha woman, your inner strength, and moving on with grace and dignity will boost your confidence, self-esteem, and ease the pain of heartbreak.

For more expert relationship advice and tips on how to make a long lasting relationship, watch this video: Click Here To Watch The Full Video

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It can be tempting to settle into a relationship with someone who's not quite right for you. Life can get lonely and it's fun to have someone by your side to enjoy it with. But, being alone can be a lot more fulfilling and rewarding than being with the wrong person. Here are 8 reasons why you should fear being with the wrong person - and not fear being single:

1. Being alone offers space to reflect on your flaws and grow, and the wrong person might criticize those flaws and hold back your growth.

Self-reflection can be done in a partnership, but with the wrong person, it can quickly cause major self-esteem issues and lack of growth or progress.

While single, you can actively identify your flaws and work to make changes in your life that a partnership with just anyone may not allow.

Learn how to keep your partner coming back for more, click here and watch this free video from relationship expert, Amy North.

2. Dealing with the pain of life alone is easier than going through it with a partner who is part of causing that pain.

Life can be hard and it's definitely not easy to go through alone. Having friends and family to share with is important and helpful, but it's not the same as having a partner to confide in and share your burdens with.

But, things get complicated when that partner is making life harder and causing you pain. It's easier to go through life's hardships alone than with someone who inflicts more worry into your life.

3. Time alone can be used for growth and healing, but time with the wrong person can be damaging.

When you're single, you can spend time in personal growth and heal old wounds. You can dive deep into your childhood traumas and explore the parts of you that need a little extra love. That time to yourself to heal, grow, and expand is invaluable. Of course, it would be beautiful to share that with a lover, or partner, who is also on a journey of healing and has the ability to hold that space for you. But it's important you choose that person wisely.

Being with the wrong person might not only hinder personal healing progress, but may actually cause more trauma.

4. Time alone can be used to make connections with people, but time with the wrong person might prevent you from meeting your soulmate.

When you're single, you can go on casual dates, make new friends, and leave doors open to exploring new relationships with a variety of people. This allows you to be open and ready to meet your soulmate when the timing is right.

If you're spending time in a relationship with someone who's not "the one," you may miss out on deeper and purer connections with others. You might even meet your soulmate in passing and be so consumed with someone else that you don't pursue them.

5. Intimate satisfaction can be achieved alone and in a healthier way than with someone who doesn't respect you or connect with you.

Intimate satisfaction can be had alone, and it's more fulfilling and empowering than with someone who doesn't respect you or connect with you on an emotional level.

Exploring intimacy while single can actually enhance your love life when you do find the right person, because you've had time to explore what you like and what you're comfortable with. On the other hand, exploring intimacy with the wrong person can result in trauma and blocks that make intimacy with future partners less enjoyable.

6. Sleeping alone is less painful than sleeping next to someone and still feeling alone.

When you climb into bed at night by yourself, you know that you're alone. You expect to feel alone. And that's ok. But if you're climbing into bed with someone else, you probably expect to feel connected and seen, and if you do feel alone next to that person it's probably more painful than sleeping by yourself.

The wrong partner can leave you feeling alone not just in bed but at all times of day. When you get off work and go home to him or her and feel lonely, that's a sure sign you're with the wrong person and that's far harder than coming home and knowing you're going to be alone.

7. You can enjoy your favorite hobbies alone more than with someone who doesn't enjoy them with you.

It's no secret that having common interests is important in a relationship. When you're with someone who doesn't enjoy doing things with you, or maybe they even make fun of your hobbies, it can be hard to connect with them or enjoy your free time together. Being alone allows you to participate in your favorite activities and hobbies and really enjoy them to the fullest.

8. It's freeing to make decisions for yourself, but making decisions with the wrong person can feel controlling and lead to codependency.

When you have to do everything for yourself, it can be both daunting and rewarding. Making every decision alone from what you have for dinner to if you pay your bills on time and what vacation spot you're hitting that year is a big task that can be empowering and stressful.

Making decisions together, in a partnership, is easier and safer feeling. Not all of the weight is on you. But when that partnership is with the wrong person, joint decision making can quickly escalate to codependency and even control issues. It's a slippery and dangerous slope.

It can be tough, but it's important to stay single until you find that right person for you. Life is easier alone than with the wrong person.

For more expert relationship advice and tips on how to make a long lasting relationship, watch this video: Click Here To Watch The Full Video

If you enjoyed this content or found it useful, please remember to SHARE the article with your family and friends on Facebook!

If you happen to be in a relationship (or want a relationship) with someone whose birthday falls between April 20 and May 20, it's good to recognize that their zodiac sign is a Taurus. Taurus is the earth sign, with their animal being the bull. Taurus are the anchors of all zodiac signs and they're known to be smart, hardworking, reliable, and stubborn. They're capable of building strong and stable partnerships and deeply value honesty.

If you're interested in moving forward with a Taurus, there are some important things you should keep in mind. Here are 9 things you should know if you're dating a Taurus:

1. They can be materialistic, despite being grounded.

Taurus do have values that run deep, but they can also be materialistic and a bit shallow at times. It may be surprising and seem "out of character" when you start to pick up on their materialistic side, but know that it's totally normal.

That said, a hint of materialism won't overshadow their loyalty and deeper core values.

2. They value stability.

Represented by the earth and bull, Taurus value stability on a deep level. It's extremely important to them. In particular, they want stability in their family and home lives, but value it in all aspects of life.

Taurus find comfort and peace in stability, routine, and structure. They don't like to "shake things up" and avoid relationships and friendships with people who do.

To keep a Taurus at peace in a relationship, offer them stability above all.

3. They sometimes explode.

Despite being grounded and steady, they sometimes explode with anger. Taurus are typically calm and cool...until they're not. In fact, when they want to, they can be pretty mean which may come as a shock from someone as collected as them.

Taurus do stay pretty collected for the most part. They just have a secret bottle of anger and passion ready to explode at any given time.

4. They prefer structure over spontaneity.

They like stability and predictability. In the same way, they dislike spontaneity and chaos. They like to plan and know what's coming.

If you're planning something special for a Taurus in your life, keep in mind that a spontaneous trip, gift, or surprise is probably not the best idea. They appreciate being kept in the loop about what's happening and are happy to go on trips and do stuff, so long as it's planned and not seemingly random or spontaneous.

5. They don't tolerate laziness.

Taurus are hardworking and grounded. They put their head down and give strength and effort to their goals. They value slow, steady, and consistent work and don't tolerate laziness.

They surround themselves with others who have a demonstrated work ethic and they won't put up with less.

6. They value financial stability.

Because Taurus value stability in life, it is important to them to have financial stability. Beyond their own financial stability, they deeply desire a partner who values financial stability as well.

Taurus are savers and planners. They don't tolerate or respect reckless spending. If you're dating a Taurus, keep in mind that they'd rather you spend your money responsibly than try and "wow" them with careless spending.

7. They are guarded.

They guard their hearts and minds. It takes a lot of work to get a Taurus to let their guard down and get to a level of openness and vulnerability with them, but it's worth the work to form that bond.

They really have to trust you to let you in.

8. They are loyal.

Once they trust you, Taurus are loyal beyond all others. Their core value of stability and their level of groundedness creates an extreme loyalty to those that they choose.

If you're in a relationship with a Taurus, they're likely to stay true to you and provide stability in the relationship - and they want the same from you.

9. They are stubborn.

Their relentless stubbornness can be a blessing or a curse, depending on what side of it you're on.

Taurus are notorious for being stubborn and if you're ever up against their stubbornness, you may want to throw in the towel early to save your sanity.

Life with a Taurus

Taurus are true family material and provide stability and structure, but expect stability and structure in return. Their vast loyalty and relentless stubbornness are unmatched.

Having a Taurus in your life can be so rewarding, especially when you get to know them on a deep level.

Are you still searching for your life purpose? You won't believe what the science of Numerology can reveal about you!

That's right, the numerology of your birth date, regardless of what month you were born, can reveal surprising information about your personality.

Unlock the messages hidden in your Personality Code now with your free personalized video report!

Click HERE to learn what Numerology says about your life using only your Name and Birth Date.

If you found this astrological information interesting or helpful, please remember to SHARE this article with your family and friends on Facebook!