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What Are the Symptoms of Depression?
The following are the most common symptoms of depression. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. In general, nearly everyone suffering from depression has ongoing feelings of sadness, and may feel helpless, hopeless, and irritable.
The American Psychiatric Association suggests that professional help is advisable for those who have four or more of the following symptoms continually for more than two weeks:
- noticeable change of appetite, with either significant weight loss not attributable to dieting or weight gain
- noticeable change in sleeping patterns, such as fitful sleep, inability to sleep, early morning awakening, or sleeping too much
- loss of interest and pleasure in activities formerly enjoyed
- persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
- feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
- restlessness, irritability
- decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"
- feelings of worthlessness
- persistent feelings of hopelessness
- feelings of inappropriate guilt
- inability to concentrate or think, indecisiveness
- recurring thoughts of death or suicide, wishing to die, or attempting suicide (Note: Individuals with this symptom should receive treatment immediately!)
- melancholia (defined as overwhelming feelings of sadness and grief), accompanied by the following:
- waking at least two hours earlier than normal in the morning
- feeling more depressed in the morning
- moving significantly more slowly
- disturbed thinking - for example, severely depressed people sometimes have beliefs not based in reality about physical disease, sinfulness, or poverty
- physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain
What Are the Symptoms of Major Depression with Psychotic Features (PMD)?
Symptoms of major depression with psychotic features include all of the symptoms of major depressive disorder listed above. In addition, patients experience delusions and/or hallucinations. Examples of these latter symptoms include feelings as though other people are out to harm them, feeling as though one has special powers to do things that other people cannot do, feeling overwhelmed with guilt, or hearing voices that put one down.
In psychotic major depression, the delusions and/or hallucinations only occur when the person is also experiencing significant depression. These symptoms do not occur when the person is no longer depressed. If one experiences these psychotic symptoms when they are not depressed, there are other diagnoses that would need to be considered.
What Are the Symptoms of Dysthymic Disorder?
The differentiation of dysthymic disorder from major depressive disorder can be difficult. Key features of dysthymia are a mild to moderate depressed mood that has a chronic course (greater than 2 years). Dysthymia is characterized by the following:
- Depressed mood for most of the day, for more days than not, for at least two years.
- While depressed, there must be present 2 or more of the following: poor appetite or over-eating, insomnia or hypersomnia, low energy/fatigue, low self-esteem, poor concentration or difficulty making decisions, feelings of hopelessness.
- During the two-year period, the patient has never been without the symptoms in number 1 or 2 for more than 2 months at a time.
- No history of a major depressive episode, manic episode, mixed episode, hypomanic episode or cyclothymic disorder.
- The symptoms cause significant impairment or distress.
Sources
The content for Symptoms of Depression was provided by the following NNDC sites unless otherwise specified above: