ARE YOU DEPRESSED ?

  Definition of Depression

                                      Depression can be described as a mental state characterized by feelings of                                                         sadness, despair, unhappiness, worthlessness, and hopelessness. 

Depression Characteristics

     Everyone has mood changes: 

                sometimes feeling great

                                  and at other times feeling a little down. Usually, we can swing up out of our depressed states by ourselves.  

When a person's depression becomes such that the individual cannot function or is a danger to society, that depression has moved out of the normal range. The individual must seek professional help.

Types of Depression

Depression may be classified as either Exogenous or Endogenous. 

 

Exogenous

Exogenous Depression is often referred to as situational depression because it comes from something outside the person. 

 

Possible causes include the loss of a loved one (death or departure of a parent or child); loss of self-esteem due to business failure, rejection, or divorce; or inability to express or admit anger toward others ("holding it in").  

Endogenous Depression,

 the type that comes out of the blue, is more severe than Exogenous depression.  The patient may need to have psychiatric help immediately.

General Symptoms of Severe Depression

An individual suffering from severe depression will usually have more than just one sign or symptom. He may have several signs/symptoms

Included examples are as follows:

• Trouble with concentration and memory.
• Feelings of guilt about inconsequential events. 
• Insomnia or excessive sleepiness.
• Feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness. 
• Withdrawal from activities and interests.
• Decreased interactions with family and friends. 
• Decreased work productivity.
• Decreased relationship with coworkers. 
• Changes in bowel habits.
• Weight loss or gain.
• Decreased libido (sexual drive).
• Slowed speech and/or motor activity.

Endogenous symptoms A typical symptom cluster for endogenous depression includes:

• Retardation of thought and motion (thinks in "slow motion"). 

• Substantial weight loss due to very poor appetite.

• Feeling that depression "crept upon him" and "came out of the blue."

• Wakes very early in the morning and can't get back to sleep. 

• Feels worse in the morning and improves as the day goes on.

 

• Does not react to the environment.

Exogenous symptoms

A typical symptom for exogenous depression includes:

• Precipitating event.

• Trouble getting to sleep at night.

• Feeling fine in the morning and getting worse as the day goes on. 

• Weight loss of less than 10 pounds.

• Reaction to the environment--if the person is with an "up" crowd, he will seem to come out of his depression for a while.