Symptoms+of+Depression

Depression
Depression, or depressive disorders, is a leading cause of disability in the United States as well as worldwide. It affects an estimated 9.5 percent of American adults in a given year.28 Nearly twice as many women as men have depression.25 Epidemiological studies have reported that up to 2.5 percent of children and 8.3 percent of adolescents in the United States suffer from depression.22

10.1.1 The symptoms of depression.
Depression is more than just being in a bad mood or feeling sad. Everyone experiences these feelings on occasion, but that does not constitute depression. Depression is actually not a single disease; there are three main types of depressive disorders.23, 27 They are While some of the symptoms of depression are common during a passing “blue mood,” major depressive disorder is diagnosed when a person has five or more of the symptoms nearly every day during a two-week period.27 Symptoms of depression include When people have depression, their lives are affected severely: they have trouble performing at work or school, and they aren’t interested in normal family and social activities. In adults, an untreated major depressive episode lasts an average of nine months. At least half of the people who experience an episode of major depression will have another episode of depression at some point.44 In children, depression lasts an average of seven to nine months with symptoms similar to those in adults.44 Symptoms in children may include Children and adolescents with depression are more likely than adults to have anxiety symptoms and general aches and pains, stomachaches, and headaches. The majority of children and adolescents who have a major depressive disorder also have another mental illness such as an anxiety disorder, disruptive or antisocial behavior, or a substance-abuse disorder. Children and adolescents who suffer from depression are more likely to commit suicide than are other youths. As in adults, episodes of depression are likely to recur.44 Dysthymia is less severe than major depressive disorder, but it is more chronic. In dysthymia, a depressed mood along with at least two other symptoms of depression persist for at least two years in adults, or one year in children or adolescents.22 These symptoms may not be as disabling, but they do keep affected people from functioning well or feeling good. Dysthymia often begins in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood.25 On average, untreated dysthymia lasts four years in children and adolescents.44 A third type of depressive disorder is bipolar disorder, also called manic-depression. A person who has bipolar disorder alternates between episodes of major depression and mania (periods of abnormally and persistently elevated mood or irritability). During manic periods, the person will also have three or more of the following symptoms: While in a manic phase, adolescents may engage in risky or reckless behaviors such as fast driving and unsafe sex. Bipolar disorder frequently begins during adolescence or young adulthood. Adults with bipolar disorder often have clearly defined episodes of mania and depression, with periods of mania every two to four years. Children and adolescents with bipolar disorder, however, may cycle rapidly between depression and mania many times within a day.29 Bipolar disorder in youths may be difficult to distinguish from other mental illnesses because the symptoms often overlap with those of other mental illnesses such as ADHD, conduct disorder, or oppositional defiant disorder.
 * **major depressive disorder**,
 * **dysthymia**, and
 * bipolar disorder (manic-depression).
 * a sad mood,
 * a loss of interest in activities that one used to enjoy,
 * a change in appetite or weight,
 * oversleeping or difficulty sleeping,
 * physical slowing or agitation,
 * energy loss,
 * feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt,
 * difficulty concentrating, and
 * recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.
 * sadness,
 * loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy,
 * self-criticism,
 * feelings that they are unloved,
 * hopelessness about the future,
 * thoughts of suicide,
 * irritability,
 * indecisiveness,
 * trouble concentrating, and
 * lack of energy.
 * overly inflated self-esteem,
 * decreased need for sleep,
 * increased talkativeness,
 * racing thoughts,
 * distractibility,
 * increased goal-directed activity or physical agitation, and
 * excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a high potential for painful consequences.27

http://science.education.nih.gov/Supplements/Nih5/Mental/guide/info-mental-c.htm