Are you suffering from depression?
Depression is a psychological disorder that has a negative impact on your feelings, thinking and your activities. Depression is a mood disorder that makes you feel sad and lose interest in activities you enjoyed earlier. It causes fluctuation in your emotions and physical problems, which reduces your ability to function properly at home and in your workplace.
Everyone feels sad or in the blues once in a while due to work pressure or relationship issues. But if the feeling overwhelms so much that it interferes with your ability to get through the day, then you must be depressed and need help. Depression affects your ability to concentrate, memorize, and recollect - affecting your studies. It affects appetite, weight, sleep and your interest in life itself and the joy of living. People with depression experience low energy, fatigue, and feel exhausted with simple daily activities. Clinical intervention is possible and depression treatment must be sought at the earliest.
9 depression symptoms
The symptoms of depression varies among individuals, and between men and women. Here are some warning signs to see and decide whether you or a loved one need to seek depression treatment.
- Helpless and hopeless outlook
Depression affects the way you feel about things and events. It’s a mood disorder that gives a bleak outlook of life itself. There is a predominant feeling of helplessness and hopelessness, and the erroneous belief that things will not improve and nothing can be done to correct the situation.
- Interest lost
There is a total loss of interest in day-to-day activities. Hobbies, social activities and sexual interest is lost and nothing gives you happiness. If you have been experiencing such mood in the past 15-20 days, you might be feeling depressed.
- Sleep problems
Changes in sleep pattern - either excessive sleeping or insomnia - is one of the depression symptoms. Depression causes lack of energy and fatigue that leads to excessive sleeping. Waking up early in the morning is a sign of insomnia, often linked to depression.
- Changes in weight and appetite
Depression is associated with fluctuating appetite and weight. Some people experience enhanced appetite and gain weight, while others may lose appetite, leading to weight loss. The weight gain or weight loss is drastic - with as much as 5% change in body weight in just a month.
- Energy loss
If you generally feel exhausted, lethargic and drained then you must be feeling depressed. Your body feels heavy and even simple daily activities tires you out. The feeling of fatigue is overwhelming, leading to excessive sleeping. It prevents you from living a normal life.
- Irritability
Depression affects men and women differently. Men experience restlessness, irritation and anger, which may lead to violent behavior. They also indulge in reckless behaviour and substance abuse. These depression symptoms are mildly visible or not experienced at all by women.
- Excessive remorse
Women go through feelings of guilt and self-hatred. You are likely to blame yourself for anything that goes wrong around you and criticize yourself - a sign that you are feeling depressed.
- Extreme mood swings
One minute you have an outburst of anger. And the next moment you start crying uncontrollably. Outside events are not the cause of your anger or crying behavior. The uncontrollable emotions are internal and fluctuate wildly in a moment’s notice.
- Feeling suicidal
Feelings of hopelessness and other symptoms of depression leads to thoughts of suicide. People living with depression go through lots of pain and see death as a relief from worldly troubles. If a loved one talks of suicide or exhibits suicidal behavior like acting recklessly, saying goodbyes, disposing prized possessions or acting calm & happy, it’s a sign of impending suicide and needs to be taken seriously.
The bottom line
No matter how you feel about your situation, things can be improved. But the first step is to understand the reason for your depression, which can be done through professional depression treatment. Take the first step and get freedom from feelings of hopelessness and helplessness.
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