Depression Symptoms

Here’s a ton of material on what to look for when trying to figure out depression…

Signs & Symptoms: Collected

descriptions from NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health), Mayo Clinic (WebMD quotes Mayo); DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistics Manual of Mental Health Disorders, IV edition)

NIMH

What are the signs and symptoms of depression?

People with depressive illnesses do not all experience the same symptoms. The severity, frequency and duration of symptoms will vary depending on the individual and his or her particular illness.

Symptoms include:

• Persistent sad, anxious or “empty” feelings
• Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness and/or helplessness
• Irritability, restlessness
• Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex
• Fatigue and decreased energy
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering details and making decisions
• Insomnia, early–morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
• Overeating, or appetite loss
• Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts
• Persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment

Mayo Clinic

Symptoms

By Mayo Clinic staff

Depression symptoms include:

• Feelings of sadness or unhappiness
• Irritability or frustration, even over small matters
• Loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities
• Reduced sex drive
• Insomnia or excessive sleeping
• Changes in appetite — depression often causes decreased appetite and weight loss, but in some people it causes increased cravings for food and weight gain
• Agitation or restlessness — for example, pacing, hand-wringing or an inability to sit still
• Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
• Indecisiveness, distractibility and decreased concentration
• Fatigue, tiredness and loss of energy — even small tasks may seem to require a lot of effort
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or blaming yourself when things aren’t going right
• Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
• Frequent thoughts of death, dying or suicide
• Crying spells for no apparent reason
• Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches

For some people, depression symptoms are so severe that it’s obvious something isn’t right. Others people feel generally miserable or unhappy without really knowing why.

DSM IV

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition), always referred to as DSM-IV, is used for the diagnosis of depression.  It is produced by the American Psychiatric Association and is the product of a number of groups whose aim is to draw on the widest pool of information relating to mental health (p. 17). The American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic Criteria for Major Depressive Episode is:

At least five of the following symptoms have been present during the same two-week period and represent a change from previous functioning.

1.	depressed mood
2.	diminished interest or pleasure in activities
3.	significant appetite/weight loss or gain
4.	insomnia or hypersomnia
5.	feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
6.	diminished ability to think or concentrate
7.	recurrent thoughts of death or suicide

Depression can affect anyone, and most people diagnosed with depression are successfully treated.  Major depression can occur from a single psychological trauma, or from many problems or disappointments in a person’s life. Some people will have only one depressive episode, while others will experience many episodes throughout their lives.