Depression and its symptoms....

Depression is a disorder that is evidenced by excessive sadness, loss of interest in enjoyable things, and low motivation.

It is normal to experience feelings of sadness and despair in response to adverse life events. Such events could include loss, major life changes, stress, or disappointment. In most cases, the sad feelings resolve as you come to terms with the changes in your life. In situations such as bereavement, these feelings may persist for months and return at significant times, such as birthdays and anniversaries related to the lost loved one. Provided you have times when you can enjoy things, however, this sadness is not a sign of depression.

Feeling down or blue is a natural part of life. People let us down, things go wrong, we lose people we love or the dreams we've valued. When feeling down stretches over weeks or months, is occurring frequently and interfering with your ability to interact with people and enjoy your life, it is likely that you're experiencing some form of depression. Provided that you're able to access information and have a good doctor and support network around you, even severe depression is a highly treatable condition. 

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF DEPRESSION?

The features of depression include:

Psychological symptoms:

·                   Feeling miserable. This misery is present for much of the day but may vary in its intensity. The misery lasts for weeks.

·                   Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities.

·                   Slowed or inefficient thinking with poor concentration, leading to difficulties    sorting out problems or making plans or decisions.

·                   Recurring unpleasant thoughts, particularly about being guilty, being a bad and unworthy person,

·                   Thoughts that you would be better off dead or of harming yourself in some way.

Physical Symptoms:

·                   Loss of appetite with excessive loss of weight.

·                   Loss of interest in sex.

·                   Loss of energy, even when not physically active.

·                   Loss of sleep despite feeling exhausted. Sleep is typically restless and unsatisfying with early morning wakening (one to two hours earlier than usual). Some people, however, may actually sleep a lot more than usual.

·                   Slowed activity and speech.