Understanding Depression
True clinical depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frust. It is generally ranked in terms of severity -- mild, moderate, or severe. The degree of your depression, which your doctor can determine, influences how you are treated. Symptoms of depression include:
* Trouble sleeping or excessive sleeping
* A dramatic change in appetite, often with weight gain or loss
* Fatigue and lack of energy
* Feelings of worthlessness, self-hate, and inappropriate guilt
* Extreme difficulty concentrating
* Agitation, restlessness, and irritability
* Inactivity and withdrawal from usual activities
* Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness
* Recurring thoughts of death or suicide
Low self-esteem is common with depression. So are sudden bursts of anger and lack of pleasure from activities that normally make you happy.
Depressed children may not have the classic symptoms of adult depression. Watch especially for changes in school performance, sleep, and behavior. If you wonder whether your child might be depressed, its worth bringing to a doctors attention.
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