Symptoms of Depression
What are the symptoms of depression?
As with many mental health problems there are a number of
symptoms; it's very rare for all symptoms to occur in one
person. Unsurprisingly, the symptoms of depression include
feeling generally miserable, and in addition to this other
symptoms are:
• Variation of mood over the day. It is often worse
in the morning, and improves as the day goes on - but the
pattern can be the other way around
• Disturbed, sleep usually waking early in the morning
and being unable to get back to sleep. This is often because
of all the negative thoughts that are racing through your
head
• A general slowing down of thought, speech and movement
• Feelings of anxiety
• Tearfulness for no reason
• Shorter temper
• Lack of energy and constant exhaustion
• Inability to enjoy things
• Lack of concentration
• Difficulty making decisions
• Feeling that you are forgetful
• Negative thoughts about the future
• Feelings of guilt
• Loss of identity
• Blaming self and low self esteem
• Feelings of hopelessness and despair
• Unrealistic sense of failure
• Loneliness, even when amongst people
• Becoming pre-occupied with illness
• Loss of appetite and as a result loss of weight, and
• Reduced sex drive
This presents a very bleak picture. However, it is important
to remember that depression is not an absolute; it is not
a case of either you are depressed or you are not. There is
a progression from simply feeling blue, to the full clinical
illness described in this list. Even then, not every symptom
will occur. It is also important to remember that depression
is treatable, and if you take the right steps, can be avoidable.
How common is it?
Though we all suffer low moods, from 7% to 12% of men will
suffer diagnosable depression in their lifetime. The figure
is from 20% to 25% for women. There are many theories as to
why the figure is higher for women. The incidence of post-natal
depression certainly contributes to the higher number.
Other theories include views on the position of women in
society, and the difficulties they face in achieving life
goals. It could also be that women may tend to be more honest
about their emotions than men - and hence their depression
is easier to detect.
Manic depression and associated symptoms
The world would be a very boring place if everybody's mood
was constantly neither happy nor sad. Our mood is rarely completely
stable - little things make us feel 'up,' or annoyed or sad.
Some people are aware of larger patterns in their mood. For
some, spring is a time of lifted mood as the weather starts
to improve, and winter is a time of lowered mood as the nights
draw in. Some women notice distinct changes of mood with different
phases of their menstrual cycle.
It is not the recurring pattern of these moods that causes
problems, it is the severity. In bi-polar disorder the mood
swings are not like the normal highs and lows of daily life.
It is characterised by extreme mood swings, from deep depression
to extreme elation or 'highs.' These severe highs and lows
may alternate, or there may be long periods of stability between
them. Some people with the diagnosis suffer mainly from depression,
with only occasional manic phases.
During a manic or high phase, people feel enormously energetic
and powerful and tend to become hyperactive, going without
sleep and starting totally unrealistic schemes or projects.
Some people find they are very creative. However, problems
arise when the mood spins out of control and the person behaves
in ways that they later find deeply embarrassing. It is quite
common for someone to lose touch with reality and, for example,
run up enormous debts or invite total strangers to their home.
There can also be unfortunate consequences of decisions taken
while very high in mood.
The depressive phase is similar to other forms of depression.
It is characterised by a lack of energy and interest in life,
low self-esteem, and feelings of guilt and despair. Sometimes
the person will be suicidal.
The exact causes of bipolar disorder are not known, but
stressful life events, irresolvable problems, or emotional
damage in childhood may play a part, possibly combined with
genetic factors.
What are the symptoms?
It is important to distinguish between the three elements
of this condition:
• depressive symptoms
• manic symptoms
• the cycle of these moods
The symptoms of depression are listed above
Symptoms of mania can include:
• elation
• short temper
• changing from short temper to elation - and back again
very quickly
• over activity
• easily distracted
• not sleeping
• over eating
• increase in sexual desire
• moving very quickly from topic to topic in conversation
- making it very difficult for others to keep up
• speaking so quickly that it is difficult to understand
all the words that the person says
• having very grand ideas
Then there is the cycle that these sets of symptoms can occur
in. This can come in several varieties:
• Mixed. It is possible for a person to have many
of the symptoms of mania, and yet also suffer from severely
depressive thoughts. This is especially so if the person experiencing
the mania has insight into what is happening to them. Though
the symptoms of mania can sound quite pleasant - it can also
feel as though you are losing control
• Cycles. Symptoms of mania can be followed by symptoms
of depression in an almost regular pattern. These swings in
mood can occur over a period of anything from days to months.
Less commonly, some people may experience only depression
or mania, but within a regular recurring pattern
How common is it?
About 1% of people will develop bipolar disorder in their
lifetime. If you have relatives with bipolar disorder, then
your chance of developing it is higher - about 12% of people
with a brother or sister with bipolar disorder will develop
the condition themselves.
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