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Health Information « Health & Wellness Articles |
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Health & Wellness Articles |
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This information is provided for your educational use. It is not intended to replace recommendations made by your health care provider. Click an article headline to read... « More Health & Wellness Articles What Is Depression?06/01/06 Life is full of ups and downs. But when the down times last for weeks or months at a time or keep you from living “normal,” you may be suffering from depression.
The good news is that most people with depression get better when they get treatment. Once identified, depression almost always can be treated either by therapy, antidepressant medication, or both. Some people with milder forms of depression do well with therapy alone.
Signs of Depression
Not all people with depression have the same symptoms. Some people might have just a few. Others may have a lot. If you have one or more of the following symptoms for more than two weeks or months at a time, see your doctor.
· Feeling sad, anxious, or “empty”
· Feeling hopeless
· Loss of interest in hobbies and activities that you once enjoyed
· Decreased energy
· Difficulty staying focused, remembering, making decisions
· Sleeplessness, early morning awakening, or oversleeping and not wanting to get up
· No desire to eat and weight loss or eating to “feel better” and weight gain
· Thoughts of hurting yourself
· Thoughts of death or suicide
· Easily annoyed, bothered or angered
· Constant physical symptoms that do not get better with treatment, such as headaches, upset stomach, and pain that doesn’t go away
Ask for Help
If you are so down that you have thoughts of hurting or evening killing yourself, PLEASE ASK FOR HELP! Call 911, 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or 1-800-SUICIDE. You also can talk with a family member you trust, a clergy person, or a doctor. There is nothing wrong with asking for help—everyone needs help sometimes.
Source: “Depression: Frequently Asked Questions,” National Women’s Health Information Center, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.
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