Understanding Depression - Symptoms

What Are the Symptoms?

For major depression, you may experience five or more of the following for at least a two-week period:

• Persistent sadness, pessimism
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness or hopelessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities, including sex
• Difficulty concentrating and complaints of poor memory
• Worsening of co-existing chronic disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes
• Insomnia or oversleeping
• Weight gain or loss
• Fatigue, lack of energy
• Anxiety, agitation, irritability
• Thoughts of suicide or death
• Slow speech; slow movements
• Headache, stomachache, and digestive problems

In children and adolescents:

• Insomnia, fatigue, headache, stomachache, dizziness
• Apathy, social withdrawal, weight loss
• Drug abuse or alcohol abuse, a drop in school performance, difficulty concentrating
• Isolation from family and friends
• For dysthymia (minor, but long-term depression), symptoms are less intense and fewer in number, but long-lasting.

Call Your Doctor If:

• You or a loved one have suicidal thoughts, or have other signs of either major depression or dysthymia; help is available.
• You are considering alternative or complementary treatments. It's important that your doctor be aware of all aspects of your treatment.

NOTE: There is a distinct difference between feeling "depressed" and having a depressive illness. If you have low spirits for a while, don't be concerned. However, if you feel you can't lift yourself out of your misery, seek help.