DEPRESSION
We all feel down from time to time. But it’s more than just feeling sad. Depression can have fatal consequences if left untreated
What is depression?
We can often get depression confused with just feeling sad. While feeling down is normal on a day to day basis, feeling low for long periods of time could mean you may have depression.
Depression is a mood disorder where we feel very low. If it’s mild, it might not affect you too much on a day-to-day basis. Many people describe it as feeling like there’s a dark cloud always above your head.
At its worst, people can lose the will to live and become suicidal.
Symptoms of depression
Depression affects people in different ways. Not everyone will experience the same symptoms, but they may include:
- Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
- Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
- Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
- Loss of energy or increased fatigue
- Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., hand-wringing or pacing) or slowed movements and speech (actions observable by others)
- Feeling worthless or guilty
- Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Different types of depression
If you’ve been diagnosed with depression, you might have been told you have “mild” or “severe” depression. There are different levels of depression that will affect your ability to live your life normally.
There are also different types of depression:
- Peripartum depression (previously postpartum depression)
- Seasonal depression (Also called seasonal affective disorder)
- Persistent depressive disorder (previously dysthymia)
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
- Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder
- Bipolar depression
What is depression?
We can often get depression confused with just feeling sad. While feeling down is normal on a day to day basis, feeling low for long periods of time could mean you may have depression.
Depression is a mood disorder where we feel very low. If it’s mild, it might not affect you too much on a day-to-day basis. Many people describe it as feeling like there’s a dark cloud always above your head.
At its worst, people can lose the will to live and become suicidal.
Symptoms of depression
Depression affects people in different ways. Not everyone will experience the same symptoms, but they may include:
- Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
- Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
- Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
- Loss of energy or increased fatigue
- Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., hand-wringing or pacing) or slowed movements and speech (actions observable by others)
- Feeling worthless or guilty
- Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Different types of depression
If you’ve been diagnosed with depression, you might have been told you have “mild” or “severe” depression. There are different levels of depression that will affect your ability to live your life normally.
There are also different types of depression:
- Peripartum depression (previously postpartum depression)
- Seasonal depression (Also called seasonal affective disorder)
- Persistent depressive disorder (previously dysthymia)
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
- Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder
- Bipolar depression