Understanding Depression Indicators: Identifying Symptoms and taking Subsequent Actions
Depression is a mood disorder that affects both the mind and body, impacting millions of people worldwide. It is defined by two main symptoms: depressed mood and loss of interest or pleasure (anhedonia).
For many, depression symptoms can be physical, with some people feeling restless, sluggish, excessively tired, in pain, or sore. The condition often feels heavy and all-consuming, making activities seem pointless or not worth the effort.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) provides criteria for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). To receive a diagnosis, one must experience at least five of the DSM-5 criteria for two weeks, with at least one being depressed mood or loss of interest.
The DSM-5 further classifies MDD by severity: mild, moderate, or severe. Mild depression symptoms may not be obvious to others and may include lack of motivation, increased maladaptive coping behaviors, withdrawal from friends, irritability, daytime sleepiness, and flu-like symptoms.
Moderate depression symptoms cause noticeable problems affecting multiple areas of life simultaneously, including social life difficulties, decreased productivity, low self-esteem, weight changes, and low energy levels.
Individuals with severe depression often describe deeply distressing personal experiences characterized by persistent sadness, isolation, and a profound loss of interest or motivation. They frequently feel trapped in a "dark tunnel" or weighed down by an unshakable heaviness, leading to feelings of numbness, worthlessness, and disconnection from others even when surrounded by people.
Common personal experiences include withdrawal from social activities and relationships, feelings of life moving in slow motion, internal struggles with racing negative thoughts, hopelessness, and a sense that everything feels meaningless despite outward appearances of functioning normally. Episodes of overexertion followed by severe shutdowns or exhaustion are also common, often associated with an internal conflict between perceived self-worth tied to productivity and the body's demands for rest.
Emotions might swing between feeling completely numb and feeling overwhelmed by hopelessness. Severe depression symptoms require support from others to seek treatment and include hallucinations or delusions, complete inaction (stupor or catatonia), reckless behavior, suicidal thoughts or plans.
Teenagers with depression may have poor attendance at school, suffer from hypersomnia (sleeping too much), hyerphagia (abnormally increased appetite), personality disturbances, extreme sensitivity, drug and/or alcohol use, social avoidance, apathy, and self-harming behaviors.
Women are nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression and are uniquely susceptible to premenstrual dysphoric disorder, perinatal depression, and perimenopausal depression. Men with depression may be more reluctant to talk about their feelings of sadness due to perceived gender roles and may manifest symptoms such as increased irritability, frustration over minor matters, or angry outbursts.
Depression can cause a negative feedback loop that worsens someone's depressive symptoms. Anhedonia means a markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities. Depression symptoms can also affect cognitive functioning, impacting concentration, memory, and decision-making.
Older adults and the elderly may exhibit memory difficulties in addition to a melancholy mood and psychomotor disturbances, which can sometimes be mistaken for dementia (pseudodementia).
It is crucial to remember that depression is highly treatable, especially with early intervention. Effective treatment options include therapy (such as cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, interpersonal therapy, and psychodynamic therapy), medication (such as SSRIs and SNRIs), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and esketamine (for cases of treatment-resistant depression).
If you're experiencing symptoms of depression, such as persistent low mood, loss of interest in activities, sleep changes, or difficulty concentrating for two weeks or more, consider consulting a mental health professional for an evaluation. Empathy and understanding are essential for those living with severe depression, reflecting experiences that range from persistent despair and fatigue to oscillations between forced productivity and total emotional shutdown.
While science continues to uncover the complexities of mental health, it is clear that health-and-wellness encompasses not just the physical body, but also the mind. In the context of mental health, depression, a disorder impacting both mood and mind, is often associated with symptoms like anhedonia and depressed mood. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) recognizes that to receive a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), an individual must experience at least five DSM-5 criteria, including science-backed aspects such as diminished interest or pleasure (anhedonia).
