The number of depression symptoms a person has depends on the type and severity of the disease. If you’re a parent or family member of someone who has depression you may not even notice its development at first, as symptoms can come on gradually. It can be easy to miss the early signs and only realise something’s wrong when the symptoms get worse. In addition, people with depression find their symptoms sometimes improve over time, giving the impression that they are getting better by themselves, only to experience a worse bout in a few weeks’ time.
As much as a person with depression may try, they cannot “snap out of it” or make themselves feel better. Symptoms can be overwhelming and can last for weeks or even months at a time, affecting relationships (both professional and personal), the ability to function at work and as a member of a family or social group. Some people may have symptoms that are not typical and don’t fit in with the norm, for example, sudden loss of memory or concentration.6
Although depression in all its forms is considered to be a mental illness, many of the symptoms can also be physical. People with depression may have some, all of, or only a few of the symptoms described below:
Physical symptoms of depression include feeling exhausted and having no energy, unexplained aches and pains, disturbed sleeping and eating patterns (for example difficulty getting to sleep or waking very early, distressing dreams, and suddenly losing or gaining weight) constipation, loss of libido (sex drive), slowed movement or speech, and changes to the menstrual cycle.
Psychological symptoms of depression are wide ranging and varied. People with depression may have some, or many, of the following:
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Last Updated 07/05/2009 14:32:21
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