Depression symptoms
Depression is one of the most common emotional and psychological disorders that is experienced today. There are over 17 million American that suffer depression each year. Just about everyone is affected by depression in some fashion, either through personal experience or through close encounters with a friend or a loved one with this.
Unfortunately, depression does not only affect the person who has it but also all those who are around the person who is affected by it. Clinical depression especially long term can cause severe damage to relationships with family and friends. This disorder can and will destroy lives if not treated. Also unfortunately, even though this is a very common disorder, many people either do not seek treatment, and of those that do, many are not diagnosed or treated properly.
So what exactly is depression? When someone thinks of depression, sadness comes to mind immediately. Well, we have all been sad at one time or another. However, this is not depression. Depression is more of a whole body experience. It affects everything that a person thinks and does. We have listed symptoms of depression here. Depression can vary in intensity as well. So, it may affect one person much worse than it will be in another.
Depression affects the way that a person thinks and feels. They can experience trouble concentrating and trouble when trying to make decisions. Some people say they have problems with their short term memory. Feelings of guilt, low self esteem, and being overly critical of one’s self are signs of depression. Extreme depression can bring on thoughts of doing harm to themselves.
It also affects the way people feel about things. They no longer have enthusiasm about the things that they once enjoyed doing. They have less energy than they did before. Sometimes people may feel they lack motivation and may tend to be more irritable or tense than usual. They may lose their temper faster than normal. Extreme cases may feel helpless all the time.
Other physical changes in the way that people feel are common when depressed. Their sleeping patterns may change drastically. They may want to sleep all the time or have trouble sleeping at all. People that are depressed tend to feel tired all the time no matter how much they sleep. People that are depressed tend to be very restless and bored. They also tend to complain of various fleeting aches and pains that come and go. Depression may cause people to lose their appetite or to go to the other extreme and eat constantly.
People that are depressed that were once social creatures become very withdrawn in social situations and tend to want to avoid being around other people. Their behaviors change and they become very sad all the time. They have no joy in activities that they once loved. They tend to withdraw from family and friends. Sexual appetite may become nonexistent.
Symptoms of depression can last from a period of two weeks to months to even years. Anyone that experiences symptoms such as those above for over a week should seek out medical intervention. They should see a medical physician for a consultation. Most physicians have a check list that can evaluate people for depression. If a person qualifies for treatment, then they may be referred to a psychologist or treated with antidepressants.
Depression can be treated successfully if it is evaluated and diagnosed properly. Too many people are not treated properly even today. There is still a stigma about mental illness even in today’s society. That is very unfortunate for depression is a treatable illness that no one has to suffer from.
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