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Sep 6, 2023 · How Do You Know If You Have the Signs of Depression? Depression is much more than just "feeling sad." The symptoms and signs of depression can be emotional, psychological, physical, and social. You do not need an official depression diagnosis to seek or begin treatment.
- Overview
- 1. Hopeless outlook
- 2. Loss of interest
- 3. Increased fatigue and sleep problems
- 4. Anxiety
- 5. Irritability (in men)
- 6. Changes in appetite and weight
- 7. Uncontrollable emotions
- 8. Looking at death
- Getting help
Depression is a complex medical condition. It can affect every aspect of a person’s life, from their personal relationships to their physical health. And of course, it impacts mental wellbeing.
But being unhappy isn’t the same as being depressed. Depression is a term often used loosely to describe how people feel after a bad week at work or when they’re going through a breakup. Clinical depression, also known as major depressive disorder, is more than feeling blue. Specific symptoms differentiate depression from the type of generalized sadness all people sometimes experience.
In 2021, at least 8.3% of U.S. adults experienced a major depressive episode. Depression has become one of the most common mental health disorders in the country.
In this article we cover eight signs of depression.
People who are depressed often experience feelings of hopelessness, though this is not the same across all races and ethnicities.
Hispanic and Latino individuals are the most likely to report feeling hopeless “all or most of the time,” followed by people of two or more races, according to a recent National Health Interview Survey.
Sometimes people who are depressed feel like they are worthless, a sentiment that the survey found most common among people of two or more races, as well as American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are most likely to feel like “everything is an effort, all the time,” followed by Black or African-American individuals.
Some people who live with depression also experience inappropriate guilt. They may often think, “It’s all my fault,” or “What’s the point?”
Loneliness and isolation are among the top three reasons people describe themselves as having poor mental health, as reported by more than 1 million people who screened themselves for depression and anxiety on Mental Health America’s website in 2020. For Hispanic/Latinx people, it was cited as the biggest cause of mental health issues.
Depression can take the pleasure or enjoyment out of the things people love. A loss of interest in or withdrawal from activities that were previously looked forward to — sports, hobbies, going out with friends — is frequently a sign of major depression. In 2020, a whopping 90% of people who identified with more than one race reported symptoms of depression to Mental Health America.
Another study of 25,503 older Americans found that Black and Hispanic individuals were 1.5 to 2 times more likely than white people to experience sadness and a loss of interest in everyday life.
Losing interest in sex is common. Symptoms of major depression include a decreased sex drive and even impotence.
Learn more about types of depression, symptoms, and causes.
Part of the reason that people living with depression might stop doing things they enjoy is because they feel very tired. Depression often comes with a lack of energy and an overwhelming feeling of fatigue, which can be among its most debilitating symptoms. This can lead to excessive sleeping.
Asian and Pacific Islander people (particularly those from older age groups) may report feeling tired or sleepy rather than depressed, as the latter can be seen as less culturally acceptable. Because these symptoms can be attributed to other conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, healthcare professionals may miss the true cause.
Depression and anxiety often occur together. Symptoms of anxiety can include:
•nervousness, restlessness, or a sense of tension
•feelings of danger, panic, or dread
•rapid heart rate
•rapid breathing
•increased or heavy sweating
Depression can affect the sexes differently. Research shows that men with depression may also experience irritability, escapist or risky behavior, substance abuse, or misplaced anger.
Overall, men are less likely than women to recognize depression or seek treatment for that condition. They are more likely to get help when their symptoms resemble “traditional” depression but may not identify their irritability or other strong feelings as something requiring treatment, according to a 2018 study.
Women are about twice as likely to take antidepressant medication as men, with the most frequent users being those over 60, according to the most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. White people are also far more likely to take antidepressants than Black, Hispanic, or Asian individuals.
Men, for their part, prefer medicine to talk therapy when they get treatment, a 2020 studyfound.
Weight and appetite can fluctuate for people with depression. This experience may be different for each person. Some people will have an increased appetite and gain weight, while others won’t be hungry and will lose weight.
One indication of whether dietary changes are related to depression is if they’re intentional or not. If they’re not, it may mean that they’re caused by depression.
One moment it’s an outburst of anger. The next, tears are flowing uncontrollably. Depression can cause mood swings that fluctuate wildly, and it has nothing to do with anything outside of the person experiencing them.
Depression is sometimes connected to suicide. In 2020, nearly 46,000 people died from suicide in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Black people are less likely to die by suicide than white people, but Black teenagers are more likely to attempt suicide than white teenagers.
Statisticians were surprised to note a significant decrease in the number of people who died by suicide in 2019 and 2020, after years of increases. In 2020 alone, the number of white females who died by suicide dropped 10%, while the number of white males doing so decreased 3%. The number of Asian men dying by suicide also dropped in 2020.
At the same time, some groups saw increases. In 2020, the number of Hispanic men dying by suicide rose 5%, while the number of Black and American Indian men dying this way also rose.
According to the CDC, American Indian and Native American people are far more likely to die by suicide than any other group, followed by white people.
In Mental Health America’s online screenings, 46% of American Indians and Native Americans reported thinking about suicide or self-harm in 2020, and the number of those having such thoughts increased 7.5% over 2019. This reflected the largest jump in suicidal ideation from any racial or ethnic group surveyed.
Those who die by suicide usually show symptoms of depression or mental health issues first. Often people will talk about it or make a first attempt before succeeding in ending their lives. When people are at immediate risk of self-harm or hurting others, those around them should:
Depression affects millions of people, but there are myriad options available for treatment, from lifestyle changes to medications. No matter what path one follows, asking for professional help is a critical first step toward starting to feel better.
What that help looks like may differ across communities of color and other marginalized groups. Because “traditional” depression symptoms can vary by race and ethnicity — and some people are reluctant to report their symptoms — often, individuals in these communities go undiagnosed.
The reasons for anxiety and depression in each community also differ, and they are not static. In Mental Health America’s 2020 screenings, white people said coronavirus played the biggest role in negatively affecting their mental health. But Black people cited financial matters as a primary concern, while Hispanic/Latinx people were deeply affected by loneliness/isolation, and Native Americans impacted by trauma, loss, and relationship issues (also a major concern for Asian or Pacific Islanders).
People in these racial and ethnic groups are typically less likely to be screened for depression and don’t receive mental healthcare treatment as often as those who are white.
Healthcare professionals who work with people experiencing depression must tailor their approach to address differences among those of varying ethnicities and races. Using a cultural accommodation model(CAM) may help bridge the gap. CAM helps these professionals adjust their viewfinder when diagnosing and treating conditions, urging them to be more culturally appropriate and sensitive to the unique characteristics of these populations.
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- You feel disconnected from what is important to you. You have people, ideas, and activities that make your life rich and meaningful, but you struggle to focus on these important areas because of the pressures of life that keep getting in your way.
- There is a gap between what you want and what you have, or between who you are and who you want to be. There is nothing wrong with having this kind of gap.
- You always treat your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations as true, valid, and important. When you are distressed, your mind will try to explain what is happening.
- You avoid and control your distress. Once your noisy, unhelpful mind is active, your distress is amplified. We naturally want to avoid this kind of distress.
Sep 21, 2023 · To receive a diagnosis of clinical depression (major depressive disorder), you would typically experience a consistent and persistent depressed mood or loss of interest in things you enjoy and/or in your day-to-day activities along with at least three or more of the following symptoms for a minimum of two weeks.
- Sadness. The most common symptom of depression is a feeling of sadness or emptiness that lasts for more than two weeks. A person may describe this symptom as a feeling of “hopelessness.”
- Worthlessness. Continual feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or helplessness often accompany the condition. People tend to focus on personal shortcomings or past failures.
- Irritability. Depression may cause people to get easily frustrated or angered, even over small or insignificant matters. This often relates back to a person experiencing levels of tension and fatigue that makes it difficult to get through the day.
- Fatigue. People with depression often experience lack of energy or feel tired all the time. Small tasks, like showering or getting out of bed, may seem to require more effort than one can muster.
Jun 23, 2021 · Top 10 Signs and Symptoms of Depression. Wondering if you might be depressed? Learning the common signs of depression can help you figure out what to do next. Eugenio Marongiu/Getty Images....
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Oct 14, 2022 · Depression isn't a weakness or a character flaw. It's not about being in a bad mood, and people who experience depression can't just snap out of it. Depression is a common, serious, and treatable condition. If you're experiencing depression, you're not alone.
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related to: how do you know if you have depression or lossStart your symptom checklist to have a more productive session at your doctor visit. Discuss your symptoms with your doctor. Get the support you need.
Watch a Video To Learn More About This Treatment, Download Step-by-Step Instructions. Ask Your Doctor About This Option to Treat Symptoms of Major Depression. Learn More Here
Help Your Doctor Better Understand Your Symptoms & See If This Add-On Treatment May Help. Take The Symptom Questionnaire & Share The Results With Your Doctor.
