Signs and symptoms of depression

Clinical depression is characterized by the inability to concentrate; loss of appetite; feelings of extreme sadness, helplessness, guilt, hopelessness; insomnia; and thoughts of death.  There are some signs that show a person may be depressed.  While these will vary, depending upon the person, they oftentimes include: difficulty in the areas of concentrating and/or making decisions; an "empty" mood; thoughts of death and/or suicide; a feeling of guilt or helplessness; a person may have one or a combination of fatigue, insomnia, and irregular sleeping hours; a loss of interest in things that the person use to enjoy; irritability; and chest pain (you should always get chest pain checked out immediately as it may also be a sign of a serious health problem). 

There are also physical symptoms of depression which include: headaches, back pain, muscle aches, joint pain, digestive problems (a feeling of queasy or nauseous), diarrhea, chronic constipation, change in appetite or weight, a loss of appetite or a craving for certain foods such as carbohydrates.  If you already have any of these physical problems, you will discover that they will become worse if you are depressed. 

Depression takes on numerous different appearances.  Here are two of the most common examples:

* Anthony lost his job when his company downsized.  In the beginning he spent a lot of time sending out his resume and job-hunting, but now all he does is sit in front of the TV all day acting irritable.
* Lucy was an active senior citizen before the death of her husband and the worsening of her own health.  Now all she does is stay in the house, with her curtains closed, unless she has a doctor appointment.

While these are the main signs and symptoms of depression, they are not the only ones.  A lot of depression also sprouts from a childhood that has involved abuse, violence or neglect.  You should also know that it is not unusual to feel sad or depressed occasionally.  During these times you can try to manage the depression on your own through natural remedies such as finding a hobby, getting involved with sports, or exercising.  However, if these things do not work for you, then you should definitely consult a doctor.  Sometimes a person may become so debilitated that a loved one needs to step in.  While the person may not want you to help them, you will know that it is time to intervene because the person has shown that something is interfering with their ability to think, work, eat, sleep, enjoy being with others, or even care for themselves.  It is especially important for you to step in and intervene on behalf of a loved one when they start thinking or talking about death, self-harm, suicide, or harming others.  Sometimes a person will not make mention of these things but you will know that they are thinking about it because they begin giving away their prized possessions.  With this type of debilitating depression, the depressed person may not reach out for help, but they definitely are in need of it.

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