SYMPTONS OF DEPRESSION
Clinical depression (also
called major depressive disorder) is a state of intense sadness,
melancholia or despair that has advanced to the point of being
disruptive to an individual's social functioning and/or activities of
daily living.
Although a low mood or
state of dejection that does not affect functioning is often
colloquially referred to as depression, clinical depression is a
clinical diagnosis and may be different from the everyday meaning of
"being depressed". |
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SYMPTONS OF
DEPRESSION
What are the signs of depression?
- Sadness, feeling "empty" a lot of
the time
- Loss of interest or pleasure in
every day life
- No interest in eating and losing
weight; or overeating and gaining weight
- Sleeping too much or too little,
waking very early in the morning
- Low energy, tired, feeling "slowed
down"
- Feeling restless, easily
irritated, or crying a lot
- Feeling guilty, worthless,
helpless, hopeless, expecting the worst
- Trouble staying focused,
remembering, or making decisions
- Thinking of death or suicide or
trying to commit suicide
How can I
tell if I am depressed?
A person is clinically depressed if he or she has five or more of
these symptoms and has not been acting normal for most days during the
same two-week period.
If a person is bipolar or has manic depression, they may have signs of
depression which may also include signs of mania.
What are the signs
of mania?
- Unusually "high" mood
- Easily irritated
- Unable to go to sleep night after
night
- Grand notions (wild plans or
ideas)
- Talking too much
- Racing thoughts
- Increased activity, including
sexual activity
- Much more energy than usual
- Poor judgment that leads to taking
risks
- Doing things that are not
appropriate with or around other people
How is
depression treated?
Depression is usually treated with both medicine (antidepressants) and
counseling (talk therapy).
When taking your depression medicine, keep in mind ...
- You should take medicine for at
least 4 to 6 months for it to work.
- Anyone taking medicine for
depression should be watched closely by a doctor.
- Tell your doctor about other
medicines you are taking. Many medicines interfere with
antidepressants.
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