What Are The Symptoms Of Depression And When Should Drugs Be Used For Treatment?

Well, there are two kinds of depression - simple depression and clinical depression. Simple depression is just being gloomy for one reason or another. No medical treatment is necessary since the feeling usually goes away after a few days. Simple depression is not to be confused with clinical depression, which is so much more than being gloomy. There is an overwhelming feeling of sadness that lasts for weeks, or even years. And not only that, clinical depression can affect the way one conducts his/her affairs or lives his/her life. Worse, it can progress into a mental disorder, or lead to death.

There are factors that trigger one to go into a depressive state. A failing grade, a broken relationship, a failed business venture, unemployment, retrenchment, a diagnosis of a chronic condition, or loss of a loved one (in death or something else), can trigger depression. There are also drugs that have depression as one of the side effects. Regardless of what has triggered the attack, getting the necessary treatment is a must when one is in the depressive state for more than a few days and presenting signs and symptoms that are no longer appropriate under the circumstances. Detecting the early signs and symptoms of depression is, therefore, is deemed very important.

Are you depressed?

Some people do not realize they are already depressed, thus treatment may come a little bit late for them. To find out if you are depressed, try to answer as truthfully as possible the following questions:

• Are you overeating or losing appetite?


• Have you gained weight or lost it?


• Have you lost interest to do things you normally enjoyed doing?


• Do you often fret?


• Do you have trouble sleeping?


• Do you have difficulty focusing or remembering things?


• Do you feel like everything is lost and that there is no hope to recover whatever that is?

Depression Signs and Symptoms

Answering "yes" to all these questions suggests that you may be suffering from what is called clinical depression. Depression of this kind manifests in the following signs and symptoms:

• Overeating or loss of appetite. Some people react to depression's triggering factors by gorging on "comfort foods" while others just don't have the appetite to eat anything.


• Weight gain or weight loss. Overeating can lead to weight gain that can only add to more problems. Not having the appetite to eat or eating very little can cause you to lose weight, but I can tell you right now that losing weight this way is not at all healthy weight loss.


• Moping. The lack of interest to do anything productive is a serious sign of depression.


• Difficulty sleeping. Insomnia and over-sleeping are manifestations of anxiety or depressive attacks, and they can also spark the onset of depression.


• Memory loss, loss of concentration. Severe depression can make you lose your focus and make you forget things easily.


• Despair. Now, this is probably the worst symptom of depression. Despair means losing hope or not finding any meaning to life anymore. This is when suicidal thoughts come in.

When Drugs Are Necessary In The Treatment of Depression

Taking anti-depressant drugs may be required when you experience any of these symptoms as a result of depression. These drugs, along with psychotherapy, will help to relax you and reduce the symptoms that are affecting you in a big way. These drugs are controlled drugs; they have to be prescribed by your doctor.

There are also vitamins that can help you deal with depression. Vitamins B1, B3, B5, B6, B9 and B12, along with Vitamins C and D can reduce the symptoms of depression. Since these vitamins help you maintain general well being at the same time, they can be taken even before you experience any of these signs and symptoms of depression.