It’s important to realize that feeling down at times is a normal part of life. Sad and upsetting events happen to everyone. But, if you’re feeling down or hopeless on a regular basis, you could be dealing with depression. There’s no reason to suffer in silence, or to guess whether or not what you’re feeling qualifies as depression.
People experience depression in different ways. Depression can be classified as a mood disorder. It may be described as feelings of sadness, loss, or anger that interfere with a person’s everyday activities. It may interfere with your daily work, resulting in lost time and lower productivity. It can also influence relationships and some chronic health conditions negatively.
Depression is considered a serious medical condition that is diagnosable and treatable condition. It can get worse without proper treatment. In short depression hurts and breaks one down.
7 SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION
These physical symptoms of depression prove that depression isn’t just all in your head. It can extend beyond your mind. Depression can be more than a constant state of sadness or feeling “blue.”
Major depression can cause a variety of symptoms. Some affect your mood, and others affect your body. Symptoms may also be ongoing, or come and go. The symptoms of depression can be experienced differently among individuals.
Some people may experience symptoms related to their:
- Mood such as anger, aggressiveness, irritability, anxiousness, restlessness,
- Emotional well-being such as feeling empty, sad, hopeless.
- Behavior such as loss of interest in activities, no longer finding pleasure in favorite activities, withdrawing from social engagements, feeling tired easily, thoughts of suicide, drinking excessively, using drugs, engaging in high-risk activities.
- Sexual interest such as reduced sexual desire, lack of sexual performance.
- Cognitive abilities such as inability to concentrate, difficulty completing tasks, delayed responses during conversations, thinking or talking more slowly.
- Sleep patterns such as insomnia, restless sleep, excessive sleepiness, not sleeping through the night, waking early.
- Physical well-being such as fatigue, pains, headache, digestive problems, increased cramps, changes in appetite, weight changes and aches.
Children may experience symptoms related to their:
- Mood such as irritability, anger, mood swings and crying.
- Emotional well-being, such as feelings of incompetence (Saying “I can’t do anything right”) or despair, crying, intense sadness.
- Behavior such as getting into trouble at school or refusing to go to school, avoiding friends or siblings, thoughts of death or suicide.
- Cognitive abilities such as difficulty concentrating, decline in school performance, changes in grades.
- Sleep patterns, such as difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much.
- Physical well-being, such as loss of energy, digestive problems, changes in appetite, weight loss or gain
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Theresa Moses
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