The symptoms of depression can be complex and vary widely between people. If you're depressed, you may feel sad, hopeless and lose interest in things you used to enjoy. The symptoms persist for weeks or months and are bad enough to interfere with your work, social life and family life.
Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood. Feelings of hopelessness, or pessimism. Feelings of irritability, frustration, or restlessness. Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness.
Hopeless outlook. Major depression is a mood disorder that affects the way you feel about life in general. Having a hopeless or helpless outlook on your life is the most common symptom of depression. Other feelings may be worthlessness, self-hate, or inappropriate guilt.
Suicidal Thoughts: An Emergency
For people who are severely depressed, suicide is a real threat. Each year, about 46,000 people in the U.S. take their own lives, although the true number may be higher.
Clinical depression is the more-severe form of depression, also known as major depression or major depressive disorder. It isn't the same as depression caused by a loss, such as the death of a loved one, or a medical condition, such as a thyroid disorder.
It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home. Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include: Feeling sad or having a depressed mood. Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed.
The 3 D's: Delirium, Depression & Dementia | St. Charles Health.
Agitation or slowing down of movements and thoughts. Poor concentration or indecisiveness. Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt.
There's no single cause of depression. It can occur for a variety of reasons and it has many different triggers. For some people, an upsetting or stressful life event, such as bereavement, divorce, illness, redundancy and job or money worries, can be the cause. Different causes can often combine to trigger depression.
Depression is a constant feeling of sadness and loss of interest, which stops you doing your normal activities. Different types of depression exist, with symptoms ranging from relatively minor to severe. Generally, depression does not result from a single event, but from a mix of events and factors.
Major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder are two of the most common types of depression that people experience, however, there are many types of depression. What most mood disorders have in common are major depressive episodes.
Medications and psychotherapy are effective for most people with depression. Your primary care doctor or psychiatrist can prescribe medications to relieve symptoms. However, many people with depression also benefit from seeing a psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health professional.
Clinical depression can complicate serious health conditions such as heart disease or cancer. Depression can lead to problems with pain, sexual desire and performance, and sleep. The more you know about depression complications, the more you'll understand why it's important to not let clinical depression go untreated.
Symptoms of depression
Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much. Decreased energy or fatigue. Restlessness or trouble sitting still. Lack of interest in activities that used to make you happy.
Physical symptoms are common in depression, and, in fact, vague aches and pain are often the presenting symptoms of depression. These symptoms include chronic joint pain, limb pain, back pain, gastrointestinal problems, tiredness, sleep disturbances, psychomotor activity changes, and appetite changes.
A major depressive episode is a period of two weeks or longer in which a person experiences certain symptoms of major depression: feelings of sadness and hopelessness, fatigue, weight gain or weight loss, changes in sleeping habits, loss of interest in activities, or thoughts of suicide.
Common Signs and Symptoms of Depression
Sadness. Loss of interest or pleasure in actives you used to enjoy. Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, and pessimism (expecting only bad things to occur) Irritability.