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What Are the Symptoms of Depression?

woman suffering the symptoms of depression

Depression is an incredibly common mood disorder. It affects millions of Americans every year, with the most common symptoms being sadness, hopelessness, and fatigue. The severity and length of a specific depressive episode can vary from just a few days to months or longer. People are considered to have depression disorder when symptoms appear more regularly than not. The symptoms of depression are largely consistent across different ages, though one sign of depression that is more common among teenagers is self-medication using drugs or alcohol. This is particularly true among college students. Symptoms and signs of depression are indications that professional help might be needed.

At AssuraSource, our team can teach healthy coping mechanisms to help people learn to deal with symptoms of depression. Learn more about depression therapy and its benefits by filling out our online form or calling 972.233.1010.

Common Symptoms of Depression

Many of the most common symptoms of depression are emotions or experiences that everyone will experience at some point. What sets depression disorder apart from everyday experiences of sadness is its longevity and severity. Another distinguishing factor is that depression often does not have a clear cause. For instance, it may not obviously be triggered by life circumstances or events. Certainly, mental health disorders can follow from trauma or extremely stressful periods of life. But depression and related mental health disorders can affect anyone from any walk of life.

A few common symptoms of depression include:

  • Pervasive sadness
  • Regular feelings of hopelessness
  • Irritability
  • Fatigue mixed with sleep problems
  • Low self-esteem
  • Weight loss or gain associated with changes on appetite
  • Suicidal ideation

Many people who struggle with depression experience symptoms advanced enough to impede normal functioning. They may find it difficult to carry out routine responsibilities like working, taking care of family, and fulfilling their basic needs. As previously indicated, symptoms of depression can deviate slightly in children and teens compared to the general population. These may manifest as feelings of worthlessness, mood swings, and extreme sensitivity.

Typical Signs of Depression

Depression signs are largely related to the symptoms of depression. However, it is worth exploring how specific symptoms show up and affect peoples’ lives. This can help in figuring out when you or someone you love may need to seek professional help for depression. Four signs of depression include:

  • Hopelessness – The previous section identified hopelessness as a symptom of depression. But how does it actually appear? For many people, the hopelessness that runs with depression looks like self-hate, feelings of worthlessness, or even feelings of guilt over who they are. Everything they do can begin to feel like failure to the point they begin to question the point of their existence.
  • Loss of interest in hobbies or activities – One hallmark of the way depression impacts overall function is the way it causes people to lose interest in their hobbies or activities that previously brought them joy. Many people withdraw from social activities, isolate themselves, and fail to find pleasure in things they previously enjoyed. This can even cross over into another symptom of depression, which is impotence or a decreased sex drive.
  • Unpredictable moods – Depression does not involve mood swings that go from manic or euphoric highs to lows or vice versa. That’s more prevalent with bipolar disorders. However, swings from one negative mood to another are quite common among people who suffer from depression. This could resemble anger one moment, tears the next. Or a generally stable day suddenly crashing into extreme sadness for no apparent reason.
  • Suicidal ideation – Thoughts of suicide are perhaps the most concerning symptom of depression. More often than not, suicide is preceded by signs that can include the depressed person dwelling constantly on death, mentioning suicide, or becoming obsessed with famous suicides. The best thing to do in cases where someone’s life may be in danger from the potential for suicide is contacting the national suicide prevention hotline.

Overcome the Symptoms of Depression at AssuraSource

If you or someone you care about is experiencing symptoms of depression, reach out to AssuraSource today. Our highly experienced team can help to ease these symptoms and provide support for ongoing relief from depression. Learn more from our team today by calling 972.233.1010 or completing our online contact form.