Symptoms of Depression

 

People with depression experience many of the following symptoms for prolonged periods:

 

sadness, lethargy, helplessness, hopelessness, worthlessness, difficulties with decisions, memory, concentration, loss of interest, lack of energy, changes to sleep patterns such as difficulty sleeping or staying awake, changes in weight with either significant loss or gain in weight, relationship problems with partners, friends, family, colleagues, isolation, thoughts of death, suicide, anxiousness, unusual fear or feeling panic.  Unresolved depression may lead to anger and aggression, feelings of guilt and low self esteem.

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Severe or Major depression 

causes considerable distress or agitation, loss of self-esteem or feelings of uselessness and guilt. We are unlikely to be able to continue with work, social and domestic activities. Severe (or Major) depression usually causes severe enough symptoms for a change to be noticeable by those around us even if we try to mask how we are feeling. A person with major depression will usually experience most, if not all of the symptoms listed above.

 

Moderate depression

there is usually a detectable reduction in self confidence and/or self esteem which can have a ‘snowball’ effect as we become less motivated and hence less productive. Often we start to worry about things unnecessarily such as performance at work, even if we are managing to maintain our previous standards, or more sensitive and susceptible to feeling hurt or offended within personal relationships.

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Mild depression

often goes undiagnosed because the symptoms are not considered to be ‘bad enough’ for people to think they may have depression and discuss it with their counsellor.  Accurately diagnosing depression when it is mild, and treating it effectively at this stage can prevent the condition from worsening.