People with depression signs and depressive disorders should know that they could be recurrent, which means that patients with this illness generally will experience at least several depressive episodes in their life time.
Depression signs or symptoms vary from person to person:
• 1- Some people experience insomnia or trouble sleeping while others undergo hypersomnia or sleeping excessively,
• 2- Feeling unhappy, overwhelming sadness, anxious, overwhelmed, inappropriate crying and no interest in most enjoyable activities that used to be fun,
• 3- Feelings of guilt, hopeless, drained and worthlessness for no apparent reason,
• 4- Difficulty being productive, motivated and inability to plan your day,
• 5- Low energy, tiredness and fatigue most of the time,
• 6- Changes in appetite – poor appetite and weight loss,
• 7- Other times you will have increase of appetite causing you to gain weight (eating too many meals, many sweets and carbohydrates),
• 8- Frequent suicidal or death thoughts,
• 9- Very irritable, impatient, critical, losing your temper, dissatisfied and restless,
• 10- Less ability to concentrate, memory lapses and cognitive impairment,
• 11- Difficult to explain physical ailments that frequently don’t go away with treatment – headaches, back pains, digestive problems, chronic pain, frequent colds, constipation, stomach problems and more…,
• 12- Feeling that there is something very wrong with him/her – some think they have some type of cancer, others think that they are on the verge of insanity,
• 13- Heart palpitations, sharp pains in different parts of the body including stomach and heart, intense heartbeats, palpitations, panic attacks,
• 14- Overwhelming levels of chronic stress, tension, nervousness, anxious and fearful,
• 15- Trouble maintaining close or romantic relationships and family,
• 16- Difficulty getting out of bed in the morning,
• 17- Inability to make decisions and resolve daily problems,
• 18- Unable to relax, incapable of taking a deep breath and feeling frequently tight around the chest,
• 19- Sweaty palms and body…and trembling hands,
• 20- Sitting in front of the computer or the bedroom watching the hours passing by or reviewing everything that has gone wrong with your life.
• 21- Fear of vomiting, frightened of eating because you will get nauseated,
• 22- Nervous about going out, more comfortable staying in the house, worried about answering the phone or travelling away from home,
Depression signs and depression disorders have been on the rise in western countries and industrialized societies among people born after the 1930’s and the numbers of depressed people today, are still increasing rapidly.
This may lead to the assumption that exposure to chemical, industrial pollutants, environmental toxins found in daily life, too much stress, emotional fatigue, hormone imbalance are some of the depression causes that may contribute to the development of depressive disorders.
The definition of depression or mood disorders is associated with changes in nerve pathways in the brain and changes in the neurotransmitters which allow brain cells to communicate with each other.
Imbalances in three neurotransmitters – serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine – seem to be linked to depression.
Depression signs or mood disorders seem to devastate relationships, careers, school work, quality of life, create feelings of sadness, anger, despair and frustration.
Depression goes unrecognized quite frequently because of the stigma attached to mental illnesses and also because some health professionals do not recognize or treat the illness appropriately.
Depressed people often medicate themselves because they don’t like the side effects of their medication – and begin using street drugs, more medication, alcohol, sugar, caffeine and more to make themselves feel good but without long term benefits.
Many young people that self-medicate, take pain killers and experience depression and anxiety symptoms…could have serious health consequences including dying. It is important for parents to stay informed and not be embarrassed or feel guilty because they did not understand the extent of the problem.
Adolescents and adults that commit suicide suffer from depression signs at the time of their death. Adolescents today have signs of depression but, some parents frequently think it will go away or that they are too young to have depression.
The social stigma of depression signs and depression definition
People that are depressed may have trouble discussing their nervous illness with friends or fellow workers because they may be viewed as “not normal”…or that you can’t do the same things as the average person…
Men and women with depression signs are still perceived as a “little bit crazy” or “not dependable”…or “mentally incompetent” and perhaps someone you have to worry about because he or she has a mental illness.
Attempting to have a normal life with depression or anxiety signs can be complex because friends and even family members may not know how to deal with the depressive disorder or may expect a quick recovery.
There is a great deal of social disapproval attached to depression signs and alcohol and depression. Your boss, colleagues, teachers, some family members and even friends that have known you for years, may not relate to you the same way once they learn that you have a depressive disorder.
When you have depression signs how can you keep it a secret? With so many people depressed, you would think that people today would be better informed and more understanding of the illness.
When you apply for a job, it may be a good idea to tell them that you are taking anti-depressants… some businesses don’t hold that against you. However, it is not legal for employers to ask questions about your medical history during the interview.
Yet, if you tell the truth about having any mental illness, you should provide references from other firms where you worked, that prove that despite your depression signs you have produce high quality work and can do a good job.
If you are a student, some teachers may start handling you differently, if they find out you are being treated for depression. They may not give you the same opportunities, may give you less relevance and not explore your true potential.
A great number of people are afraid of what they don’t understand and they believe that having a mental illness means being violent at any moment, having unpredictable behavior and so they’re not interested in socializing with anyone suffering from depression.
Anyone suffering from depression probably has low self-esteem. And when friends and some family members disappear from the radar they are left alone and isolated…aggravating the entire situation.
Employers are frequently hesitant to hire someone who suffers from depression signs. Business owners are worried that hiring someone who has health problems will increase their premiums or make the plans for their other employees not as comprehensive.
Most health insurance plans are grossly unfair to the person with depression signs and depression disorder. The social stigma of depression can add to the feelings of inadequacy that already plagues the depressive, making them feel more inadequate, alone and unloved then ever. This is why so many people who suffer this problem tend to stay to themselves so much more.
They cannot cope with the ridicule – imagined or not. Society needs to be taught that mental illness is no different than physical illness…the symptoms just happen to show up differently.
Consider an informative book about depression signs and causes..
Healing Depression & Bipolar Disorder Without Drugs by Gracelyn Guyol.
The author tells her own story as well as those of 13 other people who have cured their depression and bipolar disorder using natural therapies.
In-depth research and the expertise of alternative health-care professionals are included in this landmark resource for patients and caregivers alike looking for effective, safe alternatives to the psychiatric drugs.
She describes her journey to understand the body’s hormones and other causes of depression and bipolar disorder.
She investigated natural therapies-such as diet, vitamin supplementation, herbal treatments and energy healing-before finding the solutions that have kept her free of depression and bipolar symptoms – a highly recommended resource.
Depression related articles:
Postpartum depression causes and treatments.
Clinical depression and mental disorders.
Depression and how it is a complex illness!
Overview of depression medications and risks and benefits.
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