If you are affected by depression, you are not ‘just’ sad or upset. You have an illness which means that intense feelings of persistent sadness, helplessness and hopelessness are accompanied by physical effects such as sleeplessness, a loss of energy, or physical aches and pains.
Sometimes people may not realise how depressed they are, especially if they have been feeling the same for a long time, if they have been trying to cope with their depression by keeping themselves busy, or if their depressive symptoms are more physical than emotional.
As a general rule, if you have experienced four or more of these symptoms, for most of the day nearly every day, for over two weeks, then you should seek help.
Common symptoms of depression
- Tiredness and loss of energy
- Persistent sadness
- Not being able to enjoy things that are usually pleasurable or interesting
- Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness
- Physical aches and pains
- Avoiding other people, sometimes even your close friends
- Undue feelings of guilt or worthlessness
Source: depressionalliance.org
Read more
- Depression @ patient.co.uk
Excerpt: The word depressed is a common everyday word. People might say “I’m depressed” when in fact they mean “I’m fed up because I’ve had a row, or failed an exam, or lost my job”, etc. These ups and downs of life are common and normal. Most people recover quite quickly. With true depression, you have a low mood and other symptoms each day for at least two weeks. Symptoms can also become severe enough to interfere with normal day-to-day activities.
- Depression in childhood and adolescence @ netdoctor
Excerpt: Most episodes of depression in children and adolescents last less than nine months. After one year, 70 to 80 per cent of children will have recovered, but 1 in 10 remains persistently depressed. Around half of young people will relapse, the depression will returns, within two months of getting better.
