Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent emotion of loss of interest and sadness. Also called clinical depression and major depressive disorder, it affects how you feel, behave and think and can lead to a variety of physical and emotional problems. You might have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you might feel as if life isn’t worth living.

Symptoms

Although depression might occur only once during your lifetime, humans typically have multiple episodes. During these episodes, symptoms happen most of the day, nearly every day and might include:

• Feelings of tearfulness, sadness, hopelessness or emptiness

• Angry outbursts, frustration or irritability, even over tiny matters

• Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all the normal activities, such as sex, sports or hobbies

• Sleeping disturbances, including sleeping or insomnia too much

• Tiredness and lack of energy, so even tiny tasks taking extra effort

• Reduced appetite and weight loss or increasing cravings for weight gain and food

• Anxiety, restlessness or agitation

• Slowed thinking, body movements or speaking

• Feelings of guilt or worthlessness, fixating on self-blame or past failures

• Trouble concentrating, thinking, making decisions and remembering stuff

• Unexplained physical issues, such as headaches or back pain

For many humans with depression, symptoms usually are severe enough to cause noticeable issues in day-to-day activities, such as school, work, relationships or social activities with others. Some humans might feel generally unhappy or miserable without literally knowing why.

Depression symptoms in teens and children

Common signs and symptoms of depression in teenagers and children are same to those of adults, but there can be certain differences.

• In younger kids, symptoms of depression might involve sadness, irritability, worry, clinginess, refusing to go to school, pains and aches, or being underweight.

• In teens, symptoms may involve irritability, sadness, feeling worthless and negative, anger, poor attendance at school and poor performance, extremely sensitive and feeling misunderstood, using recreational alcohol or drugs, sleeping or eating too much, self-harm, avoidance of social interaction and loss of interest in normal activities.

Depression symptoms in older adults

Depression is not a normal chunk of progressing older, and it must never be taken lightly. Unfortunately, depression often goes untreated and undiagnosed in older adults, and they might felt reluctant to seek help. Symptoms of depression might be different or lesser obvious in older adults like:

• Personality changes or Memory difficulties

• Physical pain and aches 

• Fatigue, loss of appetite, sleep loss of interest in sex or problems— not caused by a medication and medical condition

• Often wanting to stay at home, rather than going out to doing new things and     socialize

• Feelings and Suicidal thinking, especially in older men

How is depression treated?

Depression is one of the most correctable mental health conditions. Approximately 90% to 80% of humans with depression who seek treatment in due course respond well to treatment.

Treatment options include:

• Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy (talk therapy) includes talking with a mental health professional. Your therapist assists you identify and change unhealthy emotions, behaviors and thoughts. There are many kind of psychotherapy — cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most common. Sometimes, brief therapy is all you require. Other humans continue therapy for certain months or years.

• Medication: Prescription medicine denoted antidepressants do support change the brain chemistry that causes depression. There are certain different types of antidepressants, and it might take time to figure out the one that’s best for you. Some antidepressants have side effects, which often refine with time. If they don’t, talking to your healthcare provider. A different medication might work better for you.

• Complementary medicine: This involves treatments you might receive along with established Western medicine. Individuals with ongoing or mild depression symptoms can refine their well-being with therapies like massage, acupuncture, biofeedback and hypnosis.

• Brain stimulation therapy: Brain stimulation therapy do support humans who have depression with psychosis and severe depression. Types of brain stimulation therapy include electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

There are also stuff you can do at home to help refine depression symptoms, including:

• Get regular exercise.

• Get the quality sleep (not too little or too much).

• Eat a healthy diet.

• Avoid alcohol, which is a depressant.

• Spend time with humans you care about.

Can I prevent depression?

You can’t always prevent depression, but you do help lessen your risk by:

• Maintain a healthy sleep routine.

• Manage stress with healthy coping mechanisms.

• Practice regular self-care activities like exercise, yoga and meditation.

If you’ve had depression before, you might be more likely to experience it again. If you have depression symptoms, get support as soon as possible.

When to see a doctor

If you felt depressed, making an appointment to see your doctor or mental health professional as soon as you can. If you’re unwilling to seek treatment, talk to a buddy or loved one, a faith leader, any health care professional, or someone else you faith.