Depression

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Depression and heart disease

Depression and insomnia

Depression and the menstrual cycle

Depression in children

Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for short periods.

Clinical depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with everyday life for an extended period of time.

See also:

• Adolescent depression
• Depression in the elderly
• Major depression

Blues; Gloom; Sadness; Melancholy

Symptoms of depression include:

• Consistently low or irritable mood
• A loss of pleasure in usual activities
• Trouble sleeping or excessive sleeping
• A dramatic change in appetite, often with weight gain or loss
• Fatigue and lack of energy
• Feelings of worthlessness, self-hate, and inappropriate guilt
• Extreme difficulty concentrating
• Slowed or agitated physical movements
• Inactivity and withdrawal from usual activities
• Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness
• Recurring thoughts of death or suicide

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Low self-esteem is common with depression. So are sudden bursts of anger and lack of pleasure from activities that normally make you happy, including sex.

Depressed children may not have the classic symptoms of adult depression. Watch especially for changes in school performance, sleep, and behavior. If you wonder whether your child might be depressed, it's worth bringing to a doctor's attention.

The main types of depression include:

• Major depression -- five or more symptoms listed above must be present for at least 2 weeks to be diagnosed with major depression. Major depression tends to continue for at least 6 months if not treated. (Depression is classified as minor depression if you have fewer than five depression symptoms for at least 2 weeks. In other words, minor depression is similar to major depression except it only has 2 - 4 symptoms.)
• Atypical depression -- occurs in about a third of patients with depression. Symptoms include overeating and oversleeping. These patients tend to have a feeling of being weighed down and react strongly to rejection.
• Dysthymia -- a generally milder form of depression that lasts for years, if not treated.