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Depression Symptoms
Eric is 65 years old. He is often complaining about his physical health. He says his muscles ache. Or he's suffering from migraine. He finds it hard to think or concentrate. Marie is 40 years old and a mother of three. She has frequent crying spells and has lost complete interest in her usual activities. What is happening with Eric and Marie? They are both showing depression symptoms. Depression symptoms differ because people experience depression differently. While depression has common signs and symptoms, children, teenager, and the elderly exhibit other symptoms other than the usual ones.
You may be suffering from depression if you have at least five of the following symptoms:
Difficulty sleeping or over sleeping
Loss of interest in usual activities
Feeling sad or lonely
Feeling hopeless
Frequent crying spells for no apparent reason
Difficulty focusing or concentrating
Unintentional weight gain or weight loss
Increase or decrease in appetite
Irritability or agitation
Restlessness
Feeling weak most of the time
Feeling empty or useless
Feeling of excessive guilt
Loss of interest in sex
Thoughts of death or suicide
Teenager, on the other hand, may show their lack of concern for their own safety as a sign of depression too. He or she may be more daring or may be engaging in activities that are too risky. The elderly or those aged 60 and above may show some of the classic symptoms of depression and other signs which may include difficulty concentrating, unexplained complaints about physical health, and memory impairment.
Children also suffer depression. Children with depression may exhibit some of the symptoms cited above as well as other signs which may include boredom, lost of interest in studies or poor school performance. They also complain about physical problems such as stomach pains and headache and choose to be left alone instead of playing with kids their age.
Depression should not be ignored. Feelings of depression can lead to suicide. If you have any symptoms of depression, it is best to seek medical help as soon as possible. Depression doesn’t always get better on its own. When left untreated, it may even get worse if left untreated. If you know someone who is suffering from depression, advise him or her to seek medical assistance.
It may be hard to advise someone to go and see a doctor. In cases like this, you can talk to that person and encourage him to confide to a trusted friend or a loved one to lessen feelings of depression. This is one great step to treating depression.
