Who gets depression?
About 2 in 3 adults have depression at some time in their life. Sometimes it is mild or lasts just a few weeks. However, an episode of depression serious enough to require treatment occurs in about 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men at some point in their lives. Some people have two or more episodes of depression at various times in their life.
What are the symptoms of depression?
Many people know when they are depressed. However, some people do not realize when they are depressed. They may know that they are not right and are not functioning well, but don't know why. Some people think that they have a physical illness, for example, if they lose weight.
The following is a list of common symptoms of depression. It is unusual to have them all, but several usually develop if you have depression.
- Low mood for most of the day, nearly every day. Things always seem 'black'.
- Loss of enjoyment and interest in life, even for activities that you normally enjoy.
- Abnormal sadness, often with weepiness.
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or uselessness.
- Poor motivation. Even simple tasks seem difficult.
- Poor concentration. It may be difficult to read, work, etc.
- Sleeping problems:
- sometimes difficulty in getting off to sleep.
- sometimes waking early and unable to get back to sleep.
- sleeping too much sometimes occurs.
- Lacking in energy, always tired.
- Difficulty with affection, including going off sex.
- Poor appetite and weight loss. Sometimes the reverse happens with comfort eating and weight gain.
- Irritability, agitation, or restlessness.
- Symptoms often seem worse first thing each day.
- Physical symptoms such as headaches, palpitations, chest pains, and general aches.
- Recurrent thoughts of death. This is not usually a fear of death, more a preoccupation with death and dying. Some people get suicidal ideas such as ..."life's not worth living".
The severity of the symptoms can vary from mild to severe. As a rule, the more symptoms from the list above that you have, the more severe the depression is likely to be.
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Where to next?
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Post-natal depression
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What are the treatment options for depression?
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What are the treatment options for SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)?
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Depression: Help and advice
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More about light therapy for SAD
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Seasonal affective disorder and how to fight it
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Some particular features of SAD
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Under the microscope: Depression
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What are the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder?
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What is seasonal affective disorder?
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Who gets Seasonal Affective Disorder?
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nicola lawson, about 1 year
I BEEN SO LOW AND DEPRESSION FOR ABOUT 7 YEARS AND IT FELT LIKE IT WENT AWAY BUT MY GRANDAD PASSED AWAY AND IT BACK AGAIN I GOT OVER PANICK ATTACKS BUT THE THINGS I FEEL LIKE NOW I AM WASHING THINGS A FEW TIMES TO MAKE SURE THEY IS NOTHING I CAN DIE FROM
Report this commentHoward Davies, about 1 year
This section could not be more accurate in describing my symptoms. I'm already taking 150mg Effexor daily. & yet I feel like total CRAP!!! Can anyone/anything help me ???? Is there nothing that can be done ???
Report this commentclaire holbrook, over 2 years
i found this artile could be more in depth. I have suffered from depression, OCD, Agraphobia and emetophobia for the last 7 years. I have started to get over all of this but lately due to my mnager at work and such a hectic schedule these feelings have been returning with avengance. I was looking for specific answers to my questions but found they weren't there.
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nicola lawson, about 1 year
HELLO CLAIRE I UNDERSTAND SOMTHING YOU FEEL MAY BE WE CAN HELP EACH OUTHER ABOUT A FEW THINGS WE SUFFOR FOR THE SAME YEARS SOME PEOPLE DONT UNDER STAND AS THEY THINK WE AS PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE LET INTO COMUNITY ALL WE NEED IS A BIT OF TIME AND HELP HAY ABOUT YOUR AGRAPHOBIA MY MUM HAS THAT TRY AND WALK IN YOUR GARDEN AND TAKE KIT EVERY DAY AND IT GETS EASY BY THE TIME YOU KNOW WERE YOU ARE YOU BE IN YOUR TAWN OR CITY SHOPPING PLEASE SEND ME A MESSAGE BACK AND MAY BE HELP EACH OTHER NICKY 27
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