How to recognise depression?

What are the syptums ?

Major Depression is defined as:

A) Five (or more) of the following symptoms have been present during the same 2-week period and represent a change from previous functioning: at least one of the symptoms is either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure.

1) Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g. feels sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g. appears tearful.) Note: In children and adolescents , can be irritable mood.

2) Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day (as indicated by either subjective account or observation made by others.)

3) Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain (e.g. a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month,) or decrese or increase in appetite nearly every day.

4) Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day.

5) Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down.)

6) Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day.

7) Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt (which may be delusional) nearly every day (not merely self reproach or guilt about being sick.)

8) Dimished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day (either by subjective account or as observed by others.)

9) Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying,) recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.

B) The symptoms do not meet the criteria for a mixed episode.

C) The symptoms cause clinically significant distress in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

D) The symptoms are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g. a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition (e.g. hypothyroidism.)

E) The symptoms are not better accounted for by Bereavement, i.e. after the loss of a loved one, the symptoms persist for longer than 2 months or are characterized by marked functional impairment, morbid preoccupation with worthlessness, suicidal ideation, psychotic symptoms or psychomotor retardation (slowed down.)

Hope this helps explain depression...it is what doctors/psychiatrists/counselors use to determine if someone is depressed.

Basically, it is what Matty said!!! :-)

You feel miserable and sad.
You feel exhausted a lot of the time with no energy .
You feel as if even the smallest tasks are sometimes impossible.
You seldom enjoy the things that you used to enjoy-you may be off sex or food or may 'comfort eat' to excess.
You feel very anxious sometimes.

You don't want to see people or are scared to be left alone. Social activity may feel hard or impossible.

You find it difficult to think clearly.

You feel like a failure and/or feel guilty a lot of the time.

You feel a burden to others.

You sometimes feel that life isn't worth living.

You can see no future. There is a loss of hope. You feel all you've ever done is make mistakes and that's all that you ever will do.
You feel irritable or angry more than usual.

You feel you have no confidence.

You spend a lot of time thinking about what has gone wrong, what will go wrong or what is wrong about yourself as a person. You may also feel guilty sometimes about being critical of others (or even thinking critically about them).
You feel that life is unfair.

You have difficulty sleeping or wake up very early in the morning and can't sleep again. You seem to dream all night long and sometimes have disturbing dreams.

You feel that life has/is 'passing you by.'

You may have physical aches and pains which appear to have no physical cause, such as back pain.

any of these

Feeling sad, blue, down, feeling worthless, low self-esteem, forgetfulness sometimes, eating problems, isolating oneself from hobbies, ie... things you used to do, or people you used to be around. Could be suicidal thoughts or self harm.There are alot of symptoms of other diseases that it could be. So if you think you are depressed, seek help!

If you feel bord, sad, lonely, mad, anxious you are depress.