1. Know What the Symptoms Are
Signs of depression can vary from individual to individual and no two cases are exactly alike. However, doctors have identified a general group of symptoms that can be attributed to depression. They include a pattern of negative thoughts or emotions, sadness, feelings of worthlessness or despair, a loss of appetite, changes in sleep patterns such as insomnia or oversleeping, a lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities, difficulty concentrating, listlessness or lack or energy, headaches, body aches and thoughts of suicide. They can be caused by a number of different conditions as well, but if you suffer from any of these, you may want to think about seeking help for depression. A doctor can provide a more accurate examination of your particular symptoms.
2. Watch Signs that Persist an Extended Length of Time
Everyone has periods where they feel depressed, but clinical depression tends to linger or recur to the point where it interferes with other aspects of your life. If you experience four or more symptoms of depression at any one time and they linger for longer than a week or two, contact a doctor. He can help eliminate some of the possible causes and determine if you need to be treated for depression.
3. Look for an Obvious Cause
In some cases, depression has a very direct cause. Grief over the loss of a loved one, stress from work or family obligations, or the struggle of coping with a physical handicap can all lead to depression. In other cases, however, there may be no obvious sign. You may feel sad or unhappy for no apparent reason, or have trouble articulating your emotions to others because you can't say why you feel the way you do. Depression can be influenced by factors you are not consciously aware of, like incidents in your past and genetic or biochemical conditions in your brain. If you find yourself suffering negative emotions and cannot explain why, clinical depression may be behind them.
4. Differentiate Between Depression and Other Conditions
The symptoms of depression can by caused by other conditions as well, and you should take steps to determine what is causing your problems before considering treatment. For example, people with bipolar disorder often exhibit signs of depression when they are in their "down" stages, while their "up" stages entail manic energy and exuberance. Postpartum depression affects some women who have just given birth, while seasonal affective disorder causes depressive symptoms due to a particular time of the year or a lack of sunlight. Each of these conditions has a different root cause and thus requires a different approach to treatment. A trained doctor or therapist can help determine the source of your particular symptoms.
