Depression symptoms

What Is Depression?

Depression is a prevalent and serious medical condition that affects how an individual thinks, feels, and acts. If not treated on time, depression causes suicidal thoughts, feelings of sadness, focus issues, and loss of interest in day-to-day activities. It can negatively impact your personal and professional life. [¹]

According to statistics, each year, around 9.5% of Americans between the age of 18 and above suffer from a depressive condition (bipolar disorder, dysthymia, or major depression). [²] In this article, we will discuss the symptoms and signs of depression and go over other important details about the medical illness.

Types of Depression

According to the American Psychiatric Association, depression can be categorized into different types, including [³]:

Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder.
Major depressive disorder.
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia).
Depressive disorder.

Major depressive disorder is the most prevalent form of depression. Approximately 17.3 adults in the US were diagnosed with depression in 2017, and these numbers have only grown ever since. [⁴]

How Is Depression Diagnosed?

To get a depression diagnosis, an individual must experience at least five symptoms of depression every day, which must occur almost the entire day for at least two weeks. Among these major symptoms are a loss of interest in daily activities you once enjoyed and a generally depressed mood. These symptoms could show up as feelings of sadness in younger adolescents or children.

If you suspect you are experiencing symptoms of depression, the best route of action to take is to talk to a healthcare professional. Your primary healthcare provider can diagnose depression and refer you to the appropriate mental health professionals like psychiatrists or psychologists. During your visit with the mental health care provider, be prepared to answer questions regarding when the symptoms began, the duration of the symptoms, and how often you experience them. [⁵]

Depression Staging

Although every individual dealing with depression will go through similar symptoms, there are certain variations in how every individual experiences depression. You will find resources claiming that depression can be divided into five stages.

According to Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, the five stages of depression are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. She first used these stages to describe the experience of individuals dying from a terminal illness. However, more research needs to be done on this theory. [⁶]

Is Depression Hereditary?

According to scientific research, depression is heritable. However, the interaction between genes and additional factors like trauma and the environment determine whether an individual will develop depression in their lifetime.

Some studies have shown that an individual with immediate relatives with a depression diagnosis could be greatly more likely to develop depression compared to an individual without immediate family members with a depression diagnosis.

However, it is critical to remember that although studies have shown a link between family history and depression, many individuals who develop depression do not have a family history of the medical condition. [⁷]

Depression Symptoms

Individuals suffering from depression may experience a variety of symptoms. Most of these symptoms are related to changes in mood and last all day. Some days the symptoms may be more severe than others. Moreover, some individuals with depression may also have certain triggers, [⁸] [⁹] [¹⁰] including:

Lack of sleep.
Stress.
Illness.
Substance use.
Financial issues.

What Are the Symptoms of Depression?

Common symptoms individuals suffering from depression experience include [¹¹]:

Feelings of worthlessness, helplessness, or guilt.
Persistent anxious, sad mood.
Feelings of "emptiness."
Fatigue or decreased energy.
Feelings of pessimism or hopelessness.
Feelings of restlessness, frustration, or irritability.
Digestive issues, headaches, cramps, or health issues lacking a clear underlying cause that does not go away with treatment.
Difficulty remembering, making decisions, or concentrating.
Difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep.
Oversleeping.
Unplanned weight changes.
Changes in appetite (eating more or eating less).
Lack of interest in activities that were once a source of pleasure.
Suicidal thoughts or attempts.

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or have a family member or friend with a history of suicide attempts suffering from the symptoms mentioned above, get immediate help by dialing 988 (suicide and crisis lifeline). [¹²]

What Are Some Signs of Depression?

Everyday signs of depression include [¹³]:

Drop in libido: According to a 2018 study, challenges in sexual functioning are a prevalent sign of depression that usually goes underreported. The study reported that male participants had issues with sexual function [¹⁴].
Overwhelming guilt: Many individuals suffering from depression may experience immense guilt for past events or actions. Some individuals may also feel guilty for feeling depressed.
Low energy: Some individuals with depression may also experience physical signs like feeling tired and having low energy during the day. The extreme physical and mental exhaustion triggered by depression may also lead to catatonia. This condition can also affect an individual's ability to move and speak and make them appear rigid, alarming the ones around them.
Difficulty concentrating: Individuals with depression may have difficulty focusing on day-to-day tasks like work. Depression may also impair your ability to think straight or make sound decisions.
Irritability: Depression and the state of mental exhaustion caused due to t can lead to an individual getting short-tempered and easily irritable. Depressed individuals may be more prone to lashing out at the people around them, which can severely affect their relationships.
Memory loss: Memory issues have been liked with major depressive disorder. According to a 2019 study, depression may impact an individual cognitive function — including long-term and working memory. These effects can also go on after an individual has entered remission [¹⁵].

Symptoms of Depression in Women vs. Symptoms of Depression in Men

Although the signs and symptoms of depression stay the same in both men and women, depression can manifest itself in different ways in both genders. This difference is evident at an early age when depressed girls are more likely to have feelings of low self-esteem, guilt, and sadness. In contrast, depressed boys may experience tiredness during the morning and an overall loss of interest in day-to-day activities.

As we age, depressed women experience symptoms like low mood, sleeping issues, and stress, whereas men will experience increased irritability and anger issues. Moreover, men are less likely to seek help, whereas women are more prone to seeking help for their symptoms. This is why 80% of individuals who commit suicide are men. One major reason behind this is that men are highly likely to resort to using guns. On the other hand, women may use less immediately fatal options like poisoning.

Depression is also quite common in non-heterosexuals and fairly common among gender-fluid or transgender individuals. Unfortunately, individuals within these groups experience great challenges in accessing healthcare, often leading to devastating consequences [¹⁶].

1 Note that here, we are using the terms ‘men’ and ‘women’ to refer to male and female biological sex at birth, respectively.

Risk Factors for Depression

The risk factors of depression can be divided into three categories including [¹⁷]:

Biological Factors

The biological factors of depression include:

Genetics.
Neurochemical and neuroanatomical risk factors.
Sleep dysfunction.
Regulatory factors of the body.

Cognitive Factors

Cognitive factors of depression include:

Assumptions and beliefs.
Memory and attention.
Information processing styles.
Rumination.
Styles and ability of problem-solving.

Social Factors

Social factors of depression include:

Temperament.
Attachment.
Life events.
Social skills.
Stress.
Childhood experiences.
Quality of relationships.

Depression Prevention

The following depression prevention steps, an individual can effectively reduce their likelihood of getting depression or suffering a relapse in symptoms [¹⁸].

Avoid stress.
Exercise regularly.
Get enough sleep.
Limit alcohol consumption.
Avoid depression triggers.
Go to therapy.

Depression Prognosis and Treatment

Although it is difficult to fully recover from depression, individuals suffering from the condition can effectively manage it and live a full and happy life through treatment. However, if left untreated, this condition can lead to fatalities resulting from suicide.

Depression Survival Rate

According to the National Mental Health Association, over 80% of individuals seeking depression treatment have seen positive results. If you get proper treatment, your odds of improving are extremely high [¹⁹].

Depression Treatment Options

There is a wide range of treatment options for depression. The treatment option you get suggested by your mental health professional depends on factors like age and the severity of your symptoms. Common treatment options include:

Medications
Psychanalytical approaches
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Lifestyle changes
Sleep deprivation therapy

Sometimes, a doctor may incorporate more than one of the above treatment options in a patient’s treatment plan. You may have to experiment with several treatment options to find a treatment that works for your depression [²⁰].

Conclusion

Takeaway

Depression is a common medical condition affecting a large percentage of individuals worldwide. Some common symptoms of the illness are changes in mood, appetite, sleep patterns, and loss of interest in daily activities. If you experience the signs and symptoms of depression for more than two weeks, it is advisable to consult a medical health professional to get immediate treatment.