If you’re ever in a bad mood, it’s easy to say, “I think I have depression.” But at what point is someone really depressed, where does the line run between a depressed mood and an illness that requires treatment? Symptoms of depression should be taken seriously. Find out what those symptoms are below.
What is depression?
Depression is one of the mental illnesses. In depression, a person’s entire emotional life, called affectivity, is affected. This includes the basic mood inherent in each person and everything related to his or her feelings: for example, the intensity and duration with which feelings are perceived. At the same time, every person is completely different and has an affectivity that is unique to him or her.
In the common definition, one speaks of depression when a mood state occurs over at least two weeks that deviates from the otherwise normal basic mood in a depressive manner.
In addition, there are disorders of affectivity that are associated with an agitated nature (manias) or that do not occur in phases but are permanent (dysthymia and cyclothymia).
Depression: symptoms and signs
How does depression manifest itself? The basic sad mood – the depressive mood – is usually the strongest of the symptoms. In addition, however, there is a whole range of other symptoms:
- Depressed people are often unable to feel joy or to muster interest in anything.
- They complain of lack of drive, that is, they can not get up to do anything, they lack energy.
- But at the same time they feel internally driven and restless (agitated).
- In addition, it often comes as symptoms of poor concentration and memory problems. In this case, thinking is extremely difficult: thoughts that normally come and go quickly, arise slowly and tenaciously, while it is pondered for a long time about actually simple facts.
- In addition, symptoms include sleep disturbances, anxiety, loss of appetite, less frequent sensations and delusional ideas.
How to recognize depression?
Unlike many illnesses, with depression you yourself are often the last(r) to notice that something is wrong with you. It is usually the case that friends or relatives become suspicious if you have been moping around for a long time and your mood does not improve at all.
Knowledge and education about this disorder is particularly important – only if as many people as possible are familiar with the symptoms and treatment options of depression will those affected be addressed early and be able to benefit from adequate therapy.
Low mood or depression?
If you are unsure whether your low mood is more than a temporary low mood, talk to someone you trust about your emotional state. If you don’t want to bother friends or relatives with this sensitive topic, ask your doctor.
An experienced psychologist, neurologist or psychiatrist can take stock of your consciousness and psyche with a detailed interview and a variety of tests to determine exactly how depressed you are.
