Depression is a common mental illness. Information on symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.
Depression symptoms: How does depression manifest itself?
Anyone who suffers from depression suffers from a persistent, deep state of Depression symptoms. The extent of this goes beyond a normal low mood that everyone experiences from time to time. People with depression usually feel sad, empty inside, discouraged and hopeless, everything suddenly seems exhausting, nothing brings them joy anymore. They tend to brood or feel anxious, often feeling worthless. Many withdraw, neglect social contacts. They find it hard to concentrate and think.
There are also secondary or additional symptoms that can also be signs of depression:
reduced concentration and attention
reduced self-esteem
Feelings of guilt, feelings of worthlessness
negative and pessimistic view of the future
Suicidal thoughts or attempts, self-harm
sleep disorders
decreased or increased appetite
If several Depression symptoms are present for at least two weeks, it could be depression. Depression manifests itself in different ways. If in doubt, those affected should always seek help. There may also be other causes behind the symptoms mentioned.
Severity of the disease
Depending on the number of symptoms, depression can be mild, moderate or severe.
Sometimes depression manifests itself primarily through physical symptoms, such as sleep problems, headaches, cardiovascular or digestive problems, and muscle tension. Such complaints should be examined by a doctor. If no organic cause is found, depression should be considered as the cause.
Am I depressed?
Depression symptoms also occur in the context of other disorders. People with bipolar disorder fluctuate - to put it simply - between two extremes: between depressive and so-called manic phases. During mania, those affected are often noticeably euphoric and full of energy, their mood can be elevated, but also irritable and aggressive, they tend to act rashly, impulsively, sometimes self-harming, and they talk a lot. You can read more about bipolar disorder in the article " How to recognize bipolar disorder ". In contrast to bipolar disorder, depression only has depressive phases. It is therefore also called unipolar depression. Depressive symptoms also occur in many other mental disorders.
Depressive symptoms can also be a sign of what is known as dysthymia (a mild form of chronic depressive disorder). This is where depressive symptoms occur over a long period of time, sometimes for years. The symptoms are usually less severe than those of depression. Those affected often continue to "function" in their everyday lives, and may even have better episodes from time to time. Nevertheless, they suffer from persistent symptoms such as depression, exhaustion, self-doubt, and difficulty concentrating. Some people have no idea that they are suffering from an illness.
Causes: How does depression arise?
As with all mental illnesses, hereditary factors, but also drastic life events and stressful circumstances play an important role in the causes of depression, as do physical influences. The various triggers interact with one another and reinforce one another.
The best-proven causes of depression include life events that involve the loss of loved ones or role changes. The death of a loved one, separation from a loved one, but also positive events such as the birth of a child or building a house, moving house or retirement are sometimes triggers for depression. For some of those affected, traumatic experiences , especially in childhood, but also later in life, or chronic stress and excessive demands play a role.
Diagnosis: How is depression diagnosed?
Anyone who notices possible signs of Depression symptoms in themselves or others should not hesitate to seek help - or encourage and support the person affected to get sound help. Depression is an illness like any other. Those affected should not be afraid to talk to their doctor about the symptoms they have observed. Depression is common and there are treatment options.
The first point of contact can be your GP. This can rule out other illnesses or side effects of medication as the cause of the symptoms. Depending on the case, different tests may be necessary. Your GP can refer you to a suitable specialist practice or a specialized outpatient clinic.
The specialist for mental illnesses is the psychiatrist, neurologist or doctor for psychosomatic medicine. Doctors who offer psychotherapy are called “medical psychotherapists”. There are also “psychological psychotherapists”, for example. You can find out more about this in the article “ Psychotherapies: Which ones are there and when they help ”.