The term “depression” refers to a mood disorder. It can be characterised as sadness, grief, or rage that interferes with daily activities.

Despite the similarities between depression and grief, sadness or grief experienced after a tragic incident or the loss of a loved one are not the same as depression. Grief normally does not involve self-hatred or a loss of self-esteem, although depression frequently does.

Positive feelings and joyful recollections of the deceased frequently go hand in hand with emotional suffering while someone is grieving. Sadness is a persistent feeling in major depressive disorder.

Depression manifests itself differently for each person. Your everyday tasks could be hampered, resulting in lost time and decreased production. Relationships and some chronic medical disorders may also be affected.

Depression can cause certain conditions, such as:

• arthiritis
• asthma
• cardiovascular disease
• cancer
• diabetes
• obesity

It’s critical to understand that experiencing sadness occasionally is a natural aspect of life. Everyone experiences sad and disturbing things in life. But if you frequently feel depressed or hopeless, you may be suffering from depression.

Without the right care, depression is regarded as a dangerous medical illness that might worsen.

Depression symptoms

Depression can be more than just a persistent feeling of melancholy or “blueness.”

Numerous symptoms might arise from major depression. The bodies of some and the moods of others are both affected. Additionally, symptoms may persist or fluctuate.

General signs and symptoms

The symptoms of depression vary from person to person. The degree, regularity, and duration of symptoms can all vary.

You may have depression if you have experienced some of the warning signs and symptoms listed below nearly every day for at least two weeks:

• feeling sad, anxious, or “empty”
• feeling hopeless, worthless, and pessimistic
• crying a lot
• feeling bothered, annoyed, or angry
• loss of interest in hobbies and interests you once enjoyed
• decreased energy or fatigue
• difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
• moving or talking more slowly
• difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening, or oversleeping
• appetite or weight changes
• chronic physical pain with no clear cause that does not get better with treatment (headaches, aches or pains, digestive problems , cramps)
• thoughts of death, suicide, self-harm, or suicide attempts

Males, females, teenagers, and young children may all experience the symptoms of depression in different ways.

Males may have signs and symptoms linked to:

• cognitive abilities, such as inability to concentrate, difficulty completing tasks, or delayed responses during conversations
• sleep patterns, such as insomnia, restless sleep, excessive sleepiness, or not sleeping through the night
• physical well-being, such as fatigue, pains, headache, or digestive problems
• mood, such as anger, aggressiveness, irritability, anxiousness, or restlessness
• emotional well-being, such as feeling empty, sad, or hopeless

Females may have signs and symptoms linked to:

• mood, such as irritability
• emotional well-being, such as feeling sad or empty, anxious, or hopeless
• behavior, such as loss of interest in activities, withdrawing from social engagements, or thoughts of suicide
• cognitive abilities, such as thinking or talking more slowly
• sleep patterns, such as difficulty sleeping through the night, waking early, or sleeping too much
• physical well-being, such as decreased energy, greater fatigue, changes in appetite, weight changes, aches, pain, headaches, or increased cramps

Children might exhibit symptoms. Regarding their, a Reliable Source:

• mood, such as irritability, anger, rapid shifts in mood, or crying
• emotional well-being, such as feelings of incompetence (e.g., “I can’t do anything right”) or despair, crying, or intense sadness
• behavior, such as getting into trouble at school or refusing to go to school, avoiding friends or siblings, thoughts of death or suicide, or self-harm
• cognitive abilities, such as difficulty concentrating, decline in school performance, or changes in grades
• sleep patterns, such as difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
• physical well-being, such as loss of energy, digestive problems, changes in appetite, or weight loss or gain

Depression causes

Depression may have a number of causes. They can be either circumstantial or biological.

Common causes include:

• Brain chemistry. There may be a chemical imbalance in parts of the brain that manage mood, thoughts, sleep, appetite, and behaviour in people who have depression.
• Hormone levels. Changes in female hormones estrogen and progesterone during different periods of time like during the menstrual cycle, postpartum period, peri-menopause, or menopause may all raise a person’s risk for depression.
• Family history. You’re at a higher risk for developing depression if you have a family history of depression or another mood disorder.
• Early childhood trauma. Some events affect the way your body reacts to fear and stressful situations.
• Brain structure. There’s a greater risk for depression if the frontal lobe of your brain is less active. However, scientists don’t know if this happens before or after the onset of depressive symptoms.
• Medical conditions. Certain conditions may put you at higher risk, such as chronic illness, insomnia, chronic pain, Parkinson’s disease, stoke, heart attack and cancer.
• Substance use. A history of substance or alcohol misuse can affect your risk.
• Pain. People who feel emotional or chronic physical pain for long periods of time are significantly more likely to develop depression.