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Nine Classic Symptoms of Depression

Clinical depression has nine classic symptoms. These symptoms are defined by the American Psychiatric Association and often form the basis of a diagnosis of clinical depression. Major depressive disorder is diagnosed when five or more of these symptoms are present most days over a two-week period. In addition, one of the symptoms must be either persistent sadness or loss of interest in activities.

  1. Constant Sadness or Hopelessness

    • Two of the nine classic symptoms of depression are constant feelings of sadness or hopelessness. Sometimes this sadness results in physical symptoms, such as changes in appetite, that can trigger other symptoms. Constant hopelessness can also trigger loss of interest in common activities.

    Trouble Sleeping or Fatique

    • Untreated depression can result in both trouble sleeping, or insomnia, and fatigue. Although trouble sleeping can result in fatigue, these two symptoms can also appear independently.

    Feeling Worthless or Hopeless

    • Feeling worthless or hopeless are two more signs of depression. Feelings of hopelessness can also be accompanied by feelings of helplessness, which can result in a loss of interest in common activities.

    Significant Weight Change

    • This change in weight could either be weight gain or weight loss. Often, changes in weight are triggered by one of the other symptoms, such as not eating because of a hopeless feeling or relying on food for mood elevation.

    Difficulty Concentrating

    • This can be accompanied by memory problems and difficulty making decisions and interference with normal cognitive ability.

    Loss of Interest in Favorite Activities

    • This can include a drop in sexual interest or eating and can interfere with relationships. Loss of interest in eating can cause another classic symptom of depression, weight loss.

    Where to Get Help

    • People experiencing any of these symptoms should seek help. Common first steps include a primary care physician or a community mental health facility. Although there are many ways to treat depression, common methods include counseling or antidepressant medications that increase the amount of serotonin in the brain, counteracting a chemical imbalance that may be triggering the clinical depression.

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