What are the Symptoms of Depression?

Depression is a mood disorder that most people know to be characterized by extreme bouts of sadness. Depression can range from moderate to severe. Depression can have a big impact on the way a person thinks, feels and behaves. Depression can lead to emotion and physical problems. More often than not people with depression find it hard to go about their day to day activities. Many times people with depression will feel like life is not worth living.

How is one to know the difference between occasionally feeling sad or blue and depression? What exactly are the symptoms of depression?

Many people will go on living with depression without ever knowing they have it. They will not realize the cause of their sadness and lack of interest may come from something such as depressive disorder.

The symptoms of depression can vary from mild, moderate to severe. For instance, the feelings of sadness that are linked with depression can vary in intensity from day to day.

Here are some of the mild symptoms of depression:

• Sadness or feeling “empty” or easy to tear
• Loss of interest in pleasurable activities, hobbies
• Irritability or frustration
• Hopelessness, pessimism
• Reduced sex drive
• Change in sleep pattern
• Change in appetite (depression and weight gain, weight loss)
• Anxiety
• Slowed thinking and movements
• Tiredness, loss of energy
• Low self-esteem, guilt
• Thoughts of death

Sometimes, depending on the day, these more mild symptoms of depression can turn into severe symptoms. Here are some of the more severe symptoms of depression:

• Inability to make decisions
• Obsessive thoughts of death or suicide, suicide plans or suicide attempt
• Persistent, unexplained physical pain such as headaches, digestive problems, or joint and muscle pain
• Inability to feel pleasure
• Difficulty in thinking and memory

Treatment for the symptoms of depression

Antidepressants

Luckily the symptoms of depression are very treatable even in the most severe cases. The sooner a person can be treated for their depression the better off they will be. Studies show that the sooner treatment for depression is sought the less likely depression is to occur. Depression can be treated with a number of different therapies including medications and psychotherapy. The most common medications used to treat symptoms of depression are known as anti-depressants. Anti-depressants differ but the most common are known as SSRI’s. SSRI stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. SSRI’s include the medications Prozac, Celexa, and Zoloft.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy as a treatment for the symptoms of depression is also very helpful. Psychotherapy is also known as talk therapy. Psychotherapy is meant to increase the person’s sense of wellbeing and to reduce their discomfort. There are also alternative treatments for the symptoms for depression. For instance, there is evidence that exercise can significantly help with the symptoms of depression. Other treatments for depression can include a better diet, massage therapy, yoga, meditation and so much more.

Depression does not have to control or ruin a person’s life. The symptoms of depression can sometimes feel encompassing and overwhelming but there is always a solution to be found and the sooner treatment for depression is sought out the better.

If your loved one is in need of treatment for drug addiction and suffers from depression please give us a call at 800-951-6135.