Depression: Symptoms and Types You Need to Know

By Jobs & Hire Staff Reporter

Mar 26, 2014 07:37 AM EDT

Have you ever wondered or asked someone if they suffer from depression?Are you suffering from depression?Do you see or know someone who is suffering from depression? According to Wikipedia,depression is a mood that can affect a person's feelings, behavior, thought's and sense of well-being. People may feel sad, anxious, empty hopeless, worried, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, hurt, or restless.

People who suffers depression may lose interest in activities that once were pleasurable,they may also lose appetite or overeating, no concentration, hard to remember details or things,affects decision making, may commit or attempt suicide. Depressed mood is not always a psychiatric disorder it may be a result to a certain life events, over dosage of medicines, or side effects of drugs or medical treatments.

Depression maybe caused by lifestyle like irregular sleep, poor diet and lack of exercise, it may be also caused by life events such as menopause, death or loss of a loved ones, heartbroken or separation, financial problems, natural disasters, bullying and catastrophic injury. So how can we say if a person has a sign of depression? WebMD.com published an article on symptoms of depression if a person's feeling became overwhelmed and last for a long time then they should seek an advice from the experts. According to WebMD.com depression should be treated immediately if a person show some:

Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
Fatigue and decreased energy
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and/or helplessness
Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism
Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
Irritability, restlessness
Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex
Overeating or appetite loss
Persistent aches or pains,headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment
Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" feelings
Thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts.

Depression should be treated because in worst scenarios it may worsen and last for years. It may also cause suicide attempts. Non treatment of depression can be life threatening. However not all depression types are the same .Major depression also known as clinical depression and chronic depression also known as dysthymia are the most common types of depression. Major depression or clinical depression is a constant sense of hopelessness and despair, a person with a major depression suffers from difficulty of sleep, to work, to study and difficulties to enjoy time with friends and activities. Major depression also affects older adults, teens and children but frequently seeks treatments and undiagnosed. Meanwhile dysthymia or chronic depression refers to mild or is less severe depression than major depression. According to WebMD.com the symptoms of dysthymia are the same as those of major depression but fewer in number and not as intense. They include the following:

Sadness or depressed mood most of the day or almost every day
Loss of enjoyment in things that were once pleasurable
Major change in weight (gain or loss of more than 5% of weight within a month) or appetite
Insomnia or excessive sleep almost every day
Being physically restless or rundown in a way that is noticeable by others
Fatigue or loss of energy almost every day
Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness or excessive guilt almost every day
Problems with concentration or making decisions almost every day
Recurring thoughts of death or suicide, suicide plan, or suicide attempt.

A journal published by helguide.org says that: Just as the symptoms and causes of depression are different in different people, so are the ways to feel better. What works for one person might not work for another, and no one treatment is appropriate in all cases. If you recognize the signs of depression in yourself or a loved one, take some time to explore the many treatment options. In most cases, the best approach involves a combination of social support, lifestyle changes, emotional skills building, and professional help. You can fight depression by making healthy lifestyle changes like getting regular exercise and sleep, eating healthy foods to boosts your mood, managing stress, practicing relaxation techniques and challenging negative thoughts. People can also seek professional help other from the support of family and friends, there are plenty of effective treatments for depression like therapy, medication,, and alternative treatments. Know just what is right and what is good for you. Be an encouragement and give full support to a person who has a depression for their fast recovery and treatments.