What is the Most Serious Symptom of Depression?
By far the most serious symptom of depression is having suicidal thoughts. Depression is a factor in most suicides. When a person is caught in the throes of depression, it is very difficult for him or her to see a light at the end of the tunnel. While this condition can be treated if the individual seeks help, it is often the greatest question mark when developing a strategy for how to fight depression.
Talk about Why They Feel Trapped
If a person talks about wanting to take his or her own life, this is not to be taken lightly. He or she needs immediate medical attention. It would be far better to get the person help than to assume that he or she isn’t serious and end up going to a funeral instead. Also, the specific reasons why a person thinks of suicide can offer important clues for how to fight depression in a particular individual.
Everyone feels sad or “blue” from time to time. We all have those types of feelings, whether from events in our lives or when our self-esteem has been bruised. It is quite normal to feel this way. It can be a cause for concern, though, when these feelings start to interfere with a person’s ability to function normally.
How to Fight Depression and the Fallout
The person experiencing a symptom of depression may find that he or she is not able to eat, get the proper amount of sleep, perform at work, or enjoy the company of others. At this point, the person may not be able to ask for the help they so desperately need. Other caring people may have to help the person reach out for help. The symptoms themselves make it more difficult for participation in a plan for how to fight depression.
Variety of Signs and Symptoms of Depression
Depression is a disorder that tends to make the sufferer pull back from other people. To other people, it may appear that the depressed individual is irritable or quite agitated. Inside, the person feels very different. He or she might be feeling one or more of the following symptoms of depression:
Feeling sad or empty can be a symptom of depression. A lot of people might not realize that feeling anxious can also be part of depression. The person might also experience feelings of guilt, helplessness, or worthlessness.
It might become difficult to concentrate or remember. Making decisions may also be difficult. Deciding how to fight depression and when to start requires decision making. Activities or hobbies the person previously enjoyed don’t appeal anymore . Lack of interest in sexual activity can also be a symptom of depression.
A change in weight can also be a symptom of depression. Losing weight without dieting or gaining 5% or more over a short period of time (a month) are signs that a person might be slipping into a depression.’
Having any of the above-noted symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean that the person is depressed. The symptoms need to be present for a couple of weeks or more and the person must be experiencing several symptoms at the same time to be diagnosed with depression. Other illnesses can have similar symptoms and a thorough evaluation by a doctor must be conducted to get to the root of the problem. Some medications or the use of illegal drugs can produce symptoms that resemble depression. Finding out how to fight depression effectively can be complicated when there many possible explanations for the same symptoms.
Another factor that goes into the mix is that the symptoms must be severe enough to limit the person’s ability to function. What this means is that the person must be having difficulty functioning at work, school, socially, or in some other facet of his or her life.
More Complexity: Depression in Men and Women Doesn’t Look the Same
A symptom of depression can look different depending on whether the sufferer is male or female. Women experiencing depression are more likely than men to report feeling anxious or guilty. They are also more likely to develop eating disorders or gain weight. Older adults with depression report feeling “empty” more often than younger people with the disorder.
As you can see, depression can manifest itself in many different ways, depending on the gender, age, health, and genetic makeup of the individual involved. One symptom of depression is not enough to tell a physician all he or she needs to make a proper diagnosis. A full evaluation is necessary before a plan can be developed for how to fight depression.
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