A mood disorder that has varied symptoms from one person to another. It is a problem that can affect many different aspects of a person’s life. It can affect the body and generate physical symptoms such as insomnia, fatigue, appetite disturbance, diminished sex drive and anxiety. It can affect the mind interfering with the ability to think clearly, notice and remember details and make good decisions. It can affect emotions causing feelings of sadness, despair, worthlessness and apathy. It can affect behavior leading to alcohol or drug abuse, suicide attempts and other self destructive behaviors. It can affect interpersonal relationships leading to anger, aggression, withdrawal and marital/family distress.
Symptoms of depression:
Symptoms of depression:
- Feelings of hopelessness, even when there is reason to be hopeful
- Fatigue or low energy
- Much less interest or pleasure in most regular activities
- Low self-esteem
- Feeling worthless or excessive guilt
- Lessened ability to think or concentrate
- Thinking distorted thoughts
- Suicidal thoughts or recurrent thoughts of death
- Significant weight loss or weight gain
- Not wanting to socialize, isolating
- Poor self-care
- Difficulty concentrating
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Physical aches and pains can increase
- Major depressive disorder
- Bipolar Depression: affecting both ends of the mood continuum depression and mania
- Dysthymia: less intense and more chronic form of depression