Understand the symptoms of depression, and then go on and BEAT IT!...

How are you feeling?...

Depressed???...

Are you able to answer that question with any conviction? If the answer is NO, then you can't be feeling that great, right now!...

If you suspect you could be suffering from depression, it's very important to do something about it now - And I do mean, this very second NOW! You see, if you are suffering from depression, the last thing you want  is to fall deeper and deeper into depression. And that is what happens you know!...

Depression is a vicious circle that, if not sorted early enough, can become debilitating, and sometimes end in fatality. I'm sure you can appreciate, the stakes are high - VERY HIGH! So...

If you feel rubbish, or you know someone that does, the first step is to work out whether you are suffering from depression. Before you can do that of course, you you need to know what the symptoms of depression are.

What are the Symptoms?

Though clinical depression is categorised as a mental illness, it's NOT uncommon to have physical symptoms also. It's even possible to have more physical symptoms then mental. The physical symptoms are brought on by 'destructive' emotions that are endured for prolonged periods of time.

Here are a list of the common symptoms associated with depression. If any of these apply to you, there is a chance that you could be depressed:

• Unhappiness or sadness.
• Exhaustion.
• Everything becomes a big effort, even little things.
• Loss of interest and/or satisfaction of things you previously enjoyed. E.g. loss of sex drive, loss of appetite, or sometimes comfort eating excessively.
• Anxiety.
  
• The want to isolate yourself from people, or alternatively, scared to be left alone.
• Socialising feels difficult or impossible.
  
• Difficulty thinking clearly.
  
• Regular feelings of guilt.
• Regular feelings of failure.
  
• Feeling a burden to others.
  
• Life feels insignificant and not worth living.
  
• Life, and ultimately your future, seems bleak. 
• Hopelessness.
• Overly self-critical.
• Much easily irritated and feel irritated more often.
• Much easily angered and feel angry more often.
• Low, or no, confidence.
• Strong focus on negativity in oneself and others.
• Life doesn't seem fair.
• Problems sleeping.
• Disturbing dreams.
  
• Life feels as if it has, or is, leaving you behind.
  
• Unexplainable physical aches and pains, e.g. Back pain.
  

Because the symptoms of depression are so vast, and often different for different people, you may find you have some of these symptoms. This though, doesn't automatically mean you are depressed. 

Depression Test

You may have already heard of a depression test, perhaps you've already taken one. What ever the case is, understand that they are only to help you better understand whether or not you suffer from depression...

A depression test will basically ask specific questions related to the symptoms of depression. Only use a depression test as an 'entry-level' assessment tool or a basic guide...

But as I mentioned earlier, the symptoms of depression are vast, and therefore, they cannot be taken as gospel. In other words, what I'm trying to say is, make sure you get a professional diagnosis...

Don't Take My Word for It!

For me, writing about the symptoms of depression, makes me feel slightly uncomfortable...

Why?...

Well firstly, I'm NOT a doctor, and for that reason, I need to be careful what I say, and how I say it! Secondly, when it comes to 'conditions' that affect the brain, you have to be incredibly careful not to 'convince' somebody that they are unwell...

If you start believing your brain is 'sick', that belief can, and in most cases will, affect your normal ability to rationalise. My biggest fear is to cause someone to distrust their own thoughts, it's at that stage where someone "loses the plot!"...

So the advice is simple, make sure to go and see your doctor because he/see will be much better equipped to diagnose you, based on what, if any, symptoms of depression you might be suffering from. Please don't disregard this because if you are clinically depressed, the earlier you begin treating it, the better!

Depression Self Help

If it turns out that you suffer from many of the symptoms of depression, it's very important to understand more about what depression actually is, but more importantly, how it is caused. For this, I recommend you read my depression self help article. The article talks about the REAL cause (in most cases) of depression...

I certainly recommend you to read it. You'll not only get a better understanding of how depression is caused, but you'll also have a better understanding of viable solutions to 'climbing' out of depression, and for GOOD!

It's vital that the solution to curing depression, involves some sort of depression self help. In fact, it's critical to the effectiveness of your treatment (including drugs), plus, it reduces the likelihood of a relapse.

Moving Forward...

So, now you know what some of the common depression symptoms are. Based on this, do you feel you could be depressed? Notice I said, could, be depressed? This is because you really need to get seen by a professional.

You should check out my depression self help article, even if you don't have any symptoms of depression - Prevention is better than the cure!

If you find that you do suffer from clinical depression, then take the next step and beat depression, FOR GOOD!...

You can do it, I promise!

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