What is Depression?
Let us start by understanding what depression is and how to differentiate it from the blues or occasional sadness you might experience routinely. Depression is a condition where your mood is altered to the point where normal life routines are affected and general activity is hindered. According to DSM-IV, if you have any of the 5 symptoms listed below, then you will be considered depressed. Here are the signs of depression:
Depressed state of mind throughout the day, especially during the early hours
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• Insomnia, where you have trouble sleeping or hypersomnia, where you sleep too much throughout the day
• Significant changes in weight, either weight loss or weight gain
• Dominant feelings of guilt, loss, worthlessness and helplessness
• A sense of tiredness or fatigue throughout the day
• Indecisiveness and troubles concentrating or focusing on anything
• Restlessness, anxiety or pressure
• Difficulty focusing on any task or activity and feeling dull
• Loss of pleasure in life and day to day work
• Persistent thoughts of suicide and death
If you have these symptoms and they have recurred for more than a few days without any signs of abatement, then you might be suffering from depression. But the symptoms need to be strong enough to be dominating your life and should not be because of use of any medication or other medical condition.
But these are not the only symptoms of depression. The National Institute of Mental Health states that no two people experience the same signs of depression. Likewise, the intensity of signs and symptoms may also vary depending on how severe depression may be. Here are some other symptoms of depression:
• Having a hard time concentrating and remembering details
• Lack of decision making abilities
• Irritability, anxiety, agitation and restlessness
• Significant increase or decrease in appetite
• Feelings of being lost or feeling empty
• Attempted suicide
• Pains and aches all over the body
• Loss or lack of energy
• Digestive problems and headaches that seem to refuse to go away even after treatment
The person suffering from depression may have 3 or more symptoms which might signify that they are going through the condition. This is the time when they need to see a professional immediately so that the condition can be verified and treatment started.
"Depression is a prison where you are both the suIIering prisoner and the cruel jailer." - From Depression: The Way Out of Your Prison, Internationally Known Psychologist, Dorothy Rowe
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