Depression is a serious condition that can interfere with a person's ability to get through daily life and activities and stressors. This could mean activities as simple as bathing and dressing - let alone getting out of bed each day.
Depression can make a person feel alone and helpless. In some cases, a person with depression may have suicidal thoughts or feel apathetic about whether they live or die.
This is all to say that depression is not merely sadness. And for a person to be diagnosed with depression, their sadness must be persistent - but that doesn't mean depression lasts forever.
A few of the most common symptoms across most forms of depression - including major depression and persistent depression - include:
Prolonged feelings of sadness and emptiness
Feeling worthless or hopeless
Frequent crying
Unexplained aches and pains
Loss of interest or inability to enjoy activities that you once found pleasurable
Significant weight loss or gain; changes in eating habits
Insomnia or hypersomnia (too little or too much sleep)
Anxiety
Anger
Inability to concentrate
Fatigue and decreased energy
Recurring thoughts of death or suicide
Therapy is an effective treatment option for individuals who are depressed and looking to regain control of their lives. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one form of therapy that can benefit individuals suffering from major depressive disorder. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on how thoughts influence emotions and then behaviors.
Even if you are not suffering from major depressive disorder, it is important to speak with a mental health professional if you feel depressed. Many individuals feel like they need to take their moods and feelings on their own, but depression is much more manageable when you have a mental health professional on your side.
Comments