One of the most prevalent mental health concerns affecting how patients feel and act is major depressive disorder. Depression is a condition that causes patients to lose interest in activities they enjoy doing. This condition can cause severe complications for patients who do not receive treatment because it causes loss of focus and thus might interfere with productivity. Fortunately, Howell ReYou has developed treatment plans for depression to help patients become hopeful of the future and enjoy life.
What are the symptoms of depression?
Patients must be aware of the signs and symptoms of depression to detect the condition in its early stages and seek medical intervention before complications develop. The following are the most prevalent symptoms of depression among patients:
- Feeling low: Most patients report being in a sad mood without reason.
- Loss of interest in activities they like: Patients with depression find it difficult to gain pleasure doing things they used to enjoy, like sex or hobbies, because nothing seems worth it.
- Sleep problems: Some patients lack sleep because endless thoughts of worthlessness consume their minds making it challenging to relax and fall asleep. Also, some depressed patients would rather spend all their time sleeping to distract them from the reality of being conscious.
- Suicidal thoughts: It is common for depressed patients to lose the will to live. Suicidal thoughts happen in patients with severe depression. For this reason, it is essential to seek early diagnosis and treatment of depression to prevent this result.
Physicians confirm major depressive disorder when patients report persistent symptoms for at least one month. Physicians usually conduct a comprehensive assessment to rule out underlying medical conditions that mimic depression.
Is depression different from sadness or grief?
There are specific situations like the heartbreak of losing a loved one that might induce intense feelings of sadness or grief. It is critical to find out the cause of your unhappiness to address your emotions better. Most patients think they have depression because they are sad. However, being sad is a normal emotion. However, depression is a medical condition that may cause severe complications like unproductivity and suicide if left untreated. The following are the differences between sadness, grief, and depression:
- Patients with grief experience sadness that comes in waves, especially after reminiscing painful memories of being with the deceased. However, patients with depression have experienced sadness for weeks.
- Patients with grief can sometimes perform tasks when they are not crying. However, depression makes patients lose interest in everything, and a person can go weeks without completing tasks.
- Patients undergoing grief do not lose self-worth. However, depression is a condition that causes feelings of worthlessness, making patients lose confidence in themselves.
- Most patients with grief may fantasize about being with the deceased and joining them in the afterlife. However, depression causes patients to have thoughts about killing themselves due to feeling worthless and undeserving of life.
It is essential to seek help for your grief and depression to boost your mood and promote the best version of yourself. Contact ReYou if you suspect that you have depression to start treatment and prevent complications.
