Understanding The Symptoms Of Depression

Depression is a feeling that the whole world is black and anything you do to make it better is hopeless. When you're depressed, it's hard to get excited about anything; your whole life is wrapped in gray cotton, like a persistent rainy day. There are some very specific symptoms you can look for in yourself or others that may indicate depression; the more of these symptoms of depression you see on a consistent basis, the more likely it is that the person showing these signs should consult a psychologist or therapist about the possibility of depression. A depressed person usually experiences one or more of the following symptoms. - Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or pessimism that persist beyond a normal length of time. - Lowered self-esteem and a habit of self-depreciation; feelings of worthlessness and the belief that "I can't do anything right." - A decrease or loss of ability to enjoy daily life. - Reduced energy and vitality. This is a very noticeable symptom. A person exhibiting this symptom oversleeps a lot, and may not even bother to get out of bed some days; they are sick far beyond the norm, and are always too tired to do anything. - Slowness of thought or action. - Loss of appetite or binge eating; possibly other eating disturbances. - Disturbed sleep or insomnia. Depression is more common in women than in men, with the peak time for occurrence being between the ages of about 35 and 45; men tend to peak early in susceptibility and their likelihood for becoming depressed decreases with age thereafter.. It's possible for a person to exhibit all these symptoms of depression when dealing with grief; they are appropriate emotional responses to loss and to be expected. When a person has experienced a traumatic loss, these symptoms are signs of normal grief that you should look for. However, when a person continues to have symptoms of depression past what one would expect a normal grieving period; or when these symptoms are intense enough to indicate danger to the person suffering from them, one should see a psychologist. Alternating states of depression and mania, an extreme elation of mood, may be symptoms of a bipolar disorder, which is a serious chemical imbalance that can be passed down through generations. Depression, once diagnosed, is treatable by a variety of medications, including Zoloft and Prozac. A depressed individual should not drink alcohol or try to treat their symptoms of depression with anything chemical; this could make the chemical imbalance that results in depression worse, not better. If you or a loved one is showing signs of depression, you should see a doctor immediately. Depression is a very treatable illness today, and there is no reason to suffer from it for no reason.

Understanding The Symptoms Of Depression

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