Are you feeling sad much of the time? Are you struggling to get started with activities or feeling like the smallest of tasks take too much energy? Depression will often make us feel like there is great discomfort in our chest or stomach. We can doubt ourselves and feel as if we are not worth as much as other people. We can feel drained and as if there is something wrong with us that affects most aspects of our lives and as if the sadness will never end.
Am I Just Sad or Am I Clinically Depressed?
While it is important to be diagnosed by a trained mental health practitioner to determine if you genuinely qualify as having a diagnosable condition involving depression, common symptoms of depression can include
1. Feelings of sadness most of the day nearly every day
2. Having a lessened interest in participating in activities you used to enjoy
3. Difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep
4. Decreased appetite or overeating to self-medicate sad feelings
5. Feelings of restlessness or being slowed down
6. Loss of energy
7. Feelings of worthlessness
8. Feelings of low self-esteem
9. Feelings of inappropriate guilt
10. Difficulty concentrating
11. Difficulty making decisions
12. Thoughts of death or wishing one was dead
13. Thoughts of suicide.
Please realize that a person does not have to have all of these symptoms at the same time in order to be diagnosed with a depressive disorder. In some cases, having simply a few of these symptoms for a period of time that do not go away, can be an indication that a person needs help from a trained mental health professional in order to resolve their issues.