Depression
No, it is not about geology , meteorology or finance .........
This is about a mental affective disorder .......
DEFINITION : a depressed mood, fulfilling the norms of ICD-10 ... a quaint definition at best ...
Normally a depression should last at least 14 days, before you can diagnose it as such ...
You should never have had a episode of mania, hypomania or a mixed bipolar condition.
It should not have been caused by somatic conditions ... in else organic ethiology should be ruled out .... mostly by blood tests ... but please remember that abuse ( including alcohol ) can cause low cerebral levels of serotonine .........
Light or moderate depressions caused by stress ( diagnosed by your friendly local shrink ) should be diagnosed as a depressive reaction ... not a " real depression " ..... often best treated with cognitive therapy ..... or by removing the stress ( easier said than done )..
And here we go :
A depression will affect your emotions , thoughts and behaviour and often give you bodily symptoms:
1) Emotional symptoms : depressed mood,low selfesteem ,feeling of guilt/selfblame , anxiety ....
2) Thought symptoms :
a) the FORM of thoughts : slowment ( inhibition ) of thoughts and impaired concentration ... rarely, you can actually have increased speed of thoughts ( agitation ) ...
b) the CONTENT of thoughts : thoughts of suicide , thoughts of guilt can proceed into nihilistic delusions ( psychosis ), typically leading you to think, that you do not deserve to live ( and the world would be better off without you ) .. high risc for suicide ..
Some might think, that they are somatic ill ( having a severe disease - not mental ) due to obscure bodily symptoms , or simply not be aware , that they are having a depression ... others sometimes thinking , that they are punished for former wicked acts ( theist sometimes believe : it is a punishment from God ) ....
3) Behavioural symptoms : agitated or inhibitated acting , lack of interest, causing giving up your normal hobbies/activities ... in the end , you only lie in your bed or sit in a chair ... not cleaning, cooking, buying food ... taking a bath is almost impossible ... or you end up sitting as a statue, not even answering ... or answering a question after 5 minutes with a "yes" or "no" only .... of course behavioural symptoms are partly second to the impaired FORM of thoughts ....
You can however be agitated ... not being able to sit on the chair .. walking around chatting along with free associations almost like a maniac ...
4) Bodily symptoms : tiredness , lack of energy , no - or decreased - mimic in your face, sleep disorders ( difficulties falling asleep/ waking up during the night/ early waking up without beeing able to sleep again ) , bodily pains and other symptoms, loss of libido and/or impotens, loss of appetite ... which often causes loss of weight ..
