Symptoms of Depression

According to the National Institute of Mental Health 1 in 20 Americans (over 20 million people) suffer with some form of depression. In Australia its about 5% of the general adolescent population.

Depression is not something that you can just “get over.” You have to work through it, determine the cause of your depression and seek help to overcome it.

How do you know you are depressed?

Below are some of the more common symptoms of depression.

• Are you feeling depressed?
• Are you irritable?
• Are you moody?
• Has your sleep pattern changed?
• Are you obsessed with food?
• Do you feel numb?
• Do you have clarity of mind?
• Can you focus?
• Are you fatigued?
• Do you have low self-esteem?
• Have you recently lost a loved one or a pet?
• Is it difficult for you to make decisions?
• Do you feel hopeless?
• Can you take charge of a situation?
• Do you feel worthless?
• Are you empty inside?
• Do you feel anxious?
• Are you guilt-ridden?
• Can you manage stress?
• Are you excessively shy?
• Do you avoid people?
• Do you avoid eating?
• Have you lost the ability to take charge?
• Do you take risks?

If you have answered yes to more than five of these questions, then you are suffering from some form of depression.

Everyone gets depressed, that is just life in general. But when you are crippled by your depression, then you suffer from what is known as severe depression. You need professional help.

Some people cannot acknowledge they are depressed. There exists a term for this: that term is denial.

If you know a friend or loved one who is battling depression yet denying its existence, you need to intervene with the help of a crisis counselor, a family doctor, or a close, personal friend. Don’t ignore the symptoms. Depression can be cured with the right treatment programs and there are many available today.