Health Conditions

To help increase awareness of depression, the National Institute of Mental Health lists a range of symptoms, which include:

• Persistent feelings that can be low, anxious, or numb and empty
• Decreased energy, and fatigue, and a sense of slowing down from one's usual pace of activity
• Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities, including sex
• Sleep disturbances like insomnia, early-morning waking, or oversleeping
• Appetite and weight changes, which include either losing or gaining weight
• Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism and despair
• Feelings of inappropriate or excessive guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
• Thoughts of death or suicide, possibly even attempted suicide
• Difficulty in concentrating, remembering, and making decisions
• Chronic aches or persistent bodily symptoms that are not caused by physical disease.

The NIMH recommends that anyone who experiences five or more of the above symptoms for more than two weeks, or whose usual functioning has become impaired by such symptoms, may have a depressive illness that should be treated.

Some mental health experts suggest changes in a person's personality or activities may be another important sign of clinical depression. A woman who usually takes great pleasure in visits from her grandchildren may express displeasure at their arrival. Or, a man who enjoys music and attends concerts whenever possible appears to lose interest in this activity. Moreover, the changes persist, and without treatment, may continue for months or years.

It is important for individuals and their families to learn how to recognize a developing clinical depression and report this to a doctor, because early intervention can either prevent depression from occurring, or at least lessen the severity of the depressive episode.

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Note: The above information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional. It is not intended to diagnose a health condition, but it can be used as a guide to help you decide if you should seek professional treatment or to help you learn more about your condition once it has been diagnosed.