Depression is a mental health condition that impacts one’s way of thinking, behavior patterns, and daily functioning. If left untreated, clinical depression may manifest in the body and lead to other health issues like gastrointestinal problems, cardiovascular diseases, and more. To manage the condition, a health expert may evaluate a person’s general health to determine whether they are depressed and suggest personalized treatments. Some warning signs of depression that necessitate professional help are listed below.
Irritable mood
Some milder symptoms of depression include irritability and restlessness, which may worsen and lead to angry outbursts, low tolerance levels, anxiety, or aggressiveness.
Fatigue or loss of energy
Depression can exhaust a person mentally and physically without any significant lifestyle changes. The condition can also bring feelings of weariness, lack of energy, and inexplicable tiredness.
Feeling helpless and unworthy
On an emotional front, the disorder might cause a person to assume responsibility for circumstances beyond their control. A depressed individual frequently loses the drive to carry out daily tasks which they otherwise carry out effortlessly. One may also experience low self-esteem, excessive self-blame, and feelings of despair. Mood swings, inability to see one’s capabilities or feeling like the situation may never improve are other common indicators of the condition.
Loss of interest
A depressed individual may lose interest in activities they once enjoyed, including hobbies, spending time with family and friends, or entertainment. One may stop experiencing happiness and pleasure.
Loss of appetite
People battling depression may experience unexplained body mass loss and a lack of appetite. Emotional and physical distress may also lead to digestive issues like stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, or reflux esophagitis.
Changes in sleep quality
Depression can trigger changes in one’s sleeping patterns. It may cause insomnia, waking up at odd hours during the night, or oversleeping, gradually leading to lower immunity.
Concentration problems
One may experience issues with making decisions or remembering things.
Pains and aches
One may experience unexplainable headaches, stomach pain, back pain, joint pain, and aching muscles.
Diagnosis
Health experts diagnose depression through screening tests. These tests are psychiatric evaluations of one’s feelings, mood, thoughts, behavioral patterns, and other symptoms using questionnaires. Since many underlying health conditions also bring symptoms similar to depression, doctors may advise blood tests to assess one’s hormone levels, blood sugar, liver and kidney function, calcium and magnesium levels, and other deficiencies. The test results help a professional suggest suitable treatments to overcome the condition.