Symptom

Not everyone with depression will experience the same symptoms. Symptoms can vary in severity, how often they happen, and how long they last.

If you experience some of the following signs and symptoms of depression nearly every day for at least 2 weeks, you may be living with depression:

• feeling sad, anxious, or “empty”
• feeling hopeless, worthless, and pessimistic
• crying a lot
• feeling bothered, annoyed, or angry
• loss of interest in hobbies and interests you once enjoyed
• decreased energy or fatigue
• difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
• moving or talking more slowly
• difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening, or oversleeping
• appetite or weight changes
• chronic physical pain with no clear cause that does not get better with treatment (headaches, aches or pains, digestive problems, cramps)
• thoughts of death, suicide, self-harm, or suicide attempts

The symptoms of depression can be experienced differently among males, females, teens, and children.

Causes

• Abuse:-Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse can make you more vulnerable to depression later in life.
• People who are elderly are at higher risk of depression. That can be made worse by other factors, such as living alone and having a lack of social support.
• Certain medications
• Depression in someone who has the biological vulnerability to it may result from personal conflicts or disputes with family members or friends.
• Death or a loss.
• Women are about twice as likely as men to become depressed. No one’s sure why. The hormonal changes that women go through at different times of their lives may play a role.
• Major events.Even good events such as starting a new job, graduating, or getting married can lead to depression. So can moving, losing a job or income, getting divorced, or retiring. However, the syndrome of clinical depression is never just a “normal” response to stressful life events.
• Other personal problems.Problems such as social isolation due to other mental illnesses or being cast out of a family or social group can contribute to the risk of developing clinical depression.
• Serious illnesses.
• Early childhood trauma.
• Substance use.
• Socioeconomic status.