Clinical depression is signaled by changes in a person's feelings and behaviors. You may have clinical depression if your symptoms include:
- A persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
- Restlessness or irritability
- Chronic aches and pains that don’t respond to treatment
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
- Feeling guilty-self blame
- Sleeping too little or too much
- Thoughts of death or suicide
- Fatigue or loss of energy
If you experience any combination of the above for more than a couple of weeks; or if symptoms are severe enough to interfere with your daily routine, you may be clinically depressed.
What causes depression?
Depression is caused by a variety of factors. Biological, genetic and environmental factors all play a role. Research has shown that depression is often related to a chemical imbalance of substances called neurotransmitters that transmit signals between nerve cells in the brain.