How Do You Know If You Are Diagnosed with Depression?

Depression is a mental disorder that affects your life because it affects your behavior towards yourself, the people around you, your work, your hobbies and almost every thing you see. Although everyone has experienced sadness, down in their lives and feelings of being depressed, people that are suffering from true depression have many frequent and recurring long-term symptoms, causing them view life as something not worth living. In fact, depression happens to at least 20 million American adults every year.

How would you know if you are diagnosed with depression issue? Below are common depression symptoms that you need to aware. These symptoms might vary in different people, and if these happen to you, it might be wise for you to get medical advice.

Lack of interest in activities that you previously enjoyed, very low levels of energy
Sadness that is prolonged
Crying spells that are unexplained
Significant and abrupt changes in sleep patterns,whether sleep too little or too much, always falling asleep, wake up several times during the night
Unexplained changes in weight or appetite
Constant anger, irritability, anxiety, worry, agitation
Pessimistic approach to life, feeling of hopelessness
Recurring and frequent thoughts of death or suicide
Feeling of ezcessive guilt and unexplained sense of worthlessness
Lower concentration level and indecisiveness
Social withdrawal
Unexplained pains and aches
Extreme fatigue when you have not done much
Easily annoyed or irritable without reason

If you experience at least 5 of the above depression symptoms and have begun interfering with family activities or work for more than a week, you may be depressed. That is, however, not necessarily true. Never diagnose yourself. Likewise, you cannot rely to a friend or a member of your family for diagnosis. The best course of action is to consult a psychologist or ask your doctor for a thorough checkup. This will most probably include having a comprehensive physical examination, as some symptoms might be caused by other health problems that you have. Just be honest and open on what and how you feel.

If you want, you can try having self-evaluation tests available on the internet that could help you gauge the symptoms you have, or at least, can prepare you when you visit your doctor. Think of these tests as a way of communicating your symptoms better to a healthcare professional when you go in for a visit. Of course, online tests prove no match to an actual consultation. Just treat it as an additional reference.

Some people might experience recurring depression, which means that they experience depression episodes often, maybe once or twice in a month, at least once a year, or many times throughout their lifetimes. The important thing is do not feel embarrassed, shy, or ashamed of your depression problem. People of various ages, ethnic groups, races, and social classes get this problem. Although depression can happen at any given age, it is commonly developed in people whose ages lie between 25 and 44 year old.

So, if you have depression problem, you are not the only one. As mentioned earlier, there are more than 20 million American adults that are experiencing depression problems every day. Be persistent and patient and you will find the method or treatment that suits you best for beating the depression. You can alos get more overcome depression tips and read useful overcome depression articles as you are no risk reading them.