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Signs & Causes of Depression

Depression can be caused by biological, psychological, and social factors. The specific symptoms vary from physical signs, such as weight loss or gain, to emotional ones such as feeling helpless. Generally speaking, these symptoms all represent a sadness that just won't go away.

  1. Physical Signs

    • Depression often presents itself in physical ways, such as a change in weight and/or appetite, unexplained aches and pains, the inability to concentrate, feeling restless or short-tempered, a loss of energy and interest in activities and changes in sleep patterns.

    Emotional Signs

    • Depression also presents emotional symptoms, such as feeling helpless or hopeless, feeling guilty or unworthy, and having thoughts that life is not worth living.

    Types of Depression

    • The four types of depression (Major Depression, Atypical Depression, Dysthymia and Seasonal Affective Disorder - SAD) have different causes and present slightly different symptoms. Major Depression corresponds with moderate to severe symptoms lasting sometimes for more than six months. Atypical Depression presents symptoms that may subside when a positive event occurs. Dysthymia shows symptoms at a very low level, but that are constant. SAD presents itself during gloomy days of bad weather and mostly in the fall and winter.

    Outside Influences as Causes

    • Depression can result from events or traumas that occur in your life. Some of these may include marriage or divorce, financial insecurity, alcohol or drug abuse, unemployment, or health problems.

    Inward Influences as Causes

    • Depression can also originate within individuals, such as being the result of a family history of depression, or abuse as a child. Often inward and outward influences work together to create depression.

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