What is Depression ?

How do you know if you have Depression?

Most people feel down in the dumps from time to time. Clinical Depression is difficult to recognise if you have never suffered before, but if you have been feeling low and your mood does not lift over days and weeks you should seek advice from your Doctor. There are different types of depression for example bipolar disorder also known as manic depression but I have little knowledge of this. This site to help those with general symptoms of anxiety and depression or have a doctors diagnosis of depression.

If you are diagnosed with depression, you should start right now to think of it as an illness. You will not be able to 'pull yourself together' or 'snap out of it'. You will need help and to take advice from medical professionals that can help.

Depression symptoms can vary from person to person and depend on how severe your depression is. Equally if you have never suffered before you have probably not identified the signs at an early stage and have sought treatment later than those who have perhaps had previous experience of the problem. You may have all or some of the following:
Low mood that is persistent. You feel sad and miserable alot or all of the timeYou lose interest in things that would normally give you pleasure (and yes this is likely to include sex)Very low energy levels. The smallest task would feel very difficultFeelings of anxietyYour concentration level is very poor You might avoid people or fear being left aloneYou may have extreme reactions to small incidents by bursting into tears or losing your temperYou may have difficulty sleeping. You may have difficulty getting to sleep or sleep for couple of hours and then wake and never get back to sleepYou may feel worthless or lack confidence and that life is just too difficultYou may have thoughts of suicide

Depression is indiscriminate. It can happen to anybody. No typical type of individual. Not a sign of weakness. Is a physical illness based on transmitters in the brain not processing properly. Could be compared with asthma, where lung function is not as effective in sufferers or diabetes where the body does not metabolise sugars as effectively as most people. In depression the brain functions of the sufferer change and effect the individual physically.