Symptoms of Depression

Many Americans suffer daily with the disabling symptoms of depression. Up to 15 % of the US population at some time in their life will suffer a major depressive episode. The good news is that depression is a treatable condition.

How does a healthcare provider diagnose major depression?

Providers look for 5 or more of the following symptoms that have lasted for more than a two week period and are consistent through most of the day. If you have these symptoms you could be suffering with medical depression, which is treatable. If you are experiencing…

Significant changes in mood

• In women this might appear as sadness or tearfulness.
  
• In men it might show as irritability and/or aggression.

Lack of pleasure in your usual activities

• You typically enjoy singing in the choir, but no longer do.
• You don’t want to exercise after work, when normally you like exercising.

Changes in sleep or appetite

• You usually sleep 8 hours a night, but now you can only sleep for 4.
• You have always slept 6 hours a night, but now you are sleeping 10 hours and have to drag yourself out of bed.
  

Lack of concentration and memory impairment

• You are noted for having outstanding recall of experiences, but now you can’t remember a conversation you had yesterday. This symptom is often called pseudo-dementia because it can mimic Alzheimer’s.

Feelings of hopelessness

• You view your future as never getting better.
• You feel that there is nothing to look forward to because your life can only get worse.

Feelings of worthlessness

• You feel that you haven’t done a good job in your role as mother, father, bank teller, truck driver, executive manager, etc.

Physical complaints

• You experience physical discomforts, such as headache, stomachache, muscle aches, etc. when you have always been free of these kinds of ailments.
• The severity of your arthritis, or other medical condition, worsens.

Decrease in self-care

• You don’t wear make-up anymore, and you always did before.
• You don’t bother to comb your hair before leaving the house and don’t care that you didn’t have a shower for the last several days.

Suicidal thoughts

• Sometimes you think of killing yourself, sometimes you don’t, but these thoughts are never normal.
• You see suicide as a way of ending the pain of being depressed.

Medical depression is a treatable condition. If you have been experiencing 5 of these symptoms for more than 2 weeks that results in a change in your usual level of functioning, contact us for an evaluation.

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