Depression signs and symptoms to look out for

There are depression signs and symptoms that help you to identify whether you are depressed or not. Depression is one of the major mental health issues of our modern times, and a condition that often is hardly understood by those who have never experienced it.

People who feel depressed often feel marginalized. Though not obviously sick, they are part of the world, and at the same time their life force is covered with a heavy layer like ice and snow covers the earth in winter. The essence, the life force remains hidden, and only at times it surfaces, unfolds, rejoices, and then hides again under an impenetrable blanket. Because many don’t know that they suffer from depression, it can help to know what the depression definition is to be able to get help.

Nobody who has depression is depressed on purpose. Depression seems like an unwanted pet that keeps you company constantly although you want it to be gone. People who are depressed don’t have control over their condition, thus they oftentimes lose hope. Some say that a life with depression is like a living hell.

Identifying signs and symptoms of depression

What you need to look out for to know whether you are depressed or not:

• ‘feeling of feeling nothing’
• feeling low in the evening (rather a sign of neurosis, a form of depression not related to a medical/brain condition)
• problems sleeping through the night (people with neurosis have rather problems with falling asleep)
• loss of pleasure for things that were pleasurable before
• alcohol and/or drug abuse to numb empty feeling
• non-diet-related weight loss/gain
• withdrawal from social interactions
• increased irritability and frustration
• finding it hard to take minor personal criticisms
• loss of libido/sex drive
• feeling worthless
• feeling helpless
• everything is meaningless
• bleak outlook on future
• mood swings that are out of character
• low drive and motivation (stay in bed whole day)
• increased physical health complaints such as fatigue or pain
• being reckless or taking unnecessary risks (e.g. driving fast or dangerously)
• suicidal thoughts (high suicide risk)

Additional severe depression signs and symptoms:

• problems sleeping through the night (people with major depression wake up very early in the morning)
• feeling low in the morning (rather a sign for major depression)
• formal thought disorder (severe form of major depression): thinking is slowed down, disturbed thought patterns
• content-related thought disorder (severe form of major depression): delusions of physical health (something is terribly wrong), becoming poor, no right to exist, guilt (punishment for past misdeeds)

To know more about depression signs and symptoms is the first step to get the help that you need. The sooner, the better! We live in an age where a lot of people believe in self-improvement, and natural ways to medicate themselves. However, in some cases a visit to a psychiatrist or another health professional is inevitable.