Depression: The Symptoms You Need to Know About

Depression is often associated with the feeling of being sad, down in the dumps or just plain lonely. While some of these feelings are a part of depression; the actual condition of depression has a lot more symptoms that go along with it. By being able to know and spot some of the signs of depression can help lead those that believe they or someone they know are suffering from depression to seek the professional help that they need.

Difficulty concentrating. Forgetting a word or phrase here and there is completely normal. However, if you notice that you are having extreme difficulty concentrating, remembering facts or recalling details, along with some of the other described symptoms it could be a direct result of depression.

Fatigue. Feeling constantly run down or not having enough energy to do the activities that you normally do is a sign of depression.

Loss of appetite/increased appitie. If you notice unknown weight loss or unexplained weight gain, this could be a result of depression.

Feeling of hopelessness/persistant sadness/loss of interest in existing hobbies. While feeling sad is a part of the human emotions, a feeling of persistant sadness that cannot be shaken or overcome is one of the major signs of depression. When these feelings are combined with other symptoms such as weight loss/gain, insomnia and fatigue it could be you are suffering from depression.

Other less severe symptoms of depression include insomina, feeling of guilt or irritability and extreme mood swings.

One of the signs of depression also includes thoughts of suicide. If you have these thoughts it is important that you seek help immediatly and don’t wait.

It is important to get the proper help for depression. If you suspect yourself or others of suffering from depression, talk to a medical professional immediately. Depression can be treated with a combination of councling or medication. One or both of these treatments can lead to the successful remission of depression.

Enhanced by Zemanta

Sleep Disorders

Narcoleptic Minute 006 0001
Image via Wikipedia
Each year, 60 million Americans suffer from some form of sleep disorder, ranging from the occasional sleepless night each month to nightly sleep deprivation. Lacking a full night’s sleep, job performance, personal relationships, and even driving abilities can suffer. With sleep being such an important part of our lives, it’s important to understand the different kinds of sleep disorders in order to better understand the routes for treatment.
Anxiety and depression are common causes of sleep loss. Many times, individuals suffering from depression wake up early and cannot return to sleep. Other times, a depressed individual may over sleep, finding sleep temporarily relieves their problems. This can lead to a disrupted sleep pattern, which actually means fewer hours of deep, quality sleep.
Impaired breathing affects one in eight Americans. Loud, disruptive snoring can sometimes hint towards a larger problem: sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a blockage of breathing during sleep. Usually occurring in overweight individuals, sleep apnea may become so severe that breathing is stopped for brief periods of time, causing the individual to gasp out for air. If this blockage is constant enough, the oxygen level in the blood becomes abnormally low and death may occur.
Excessive daytime sleepiness can sometimes be a symptom of narcolepsy. Narcoleptics experience narcoleptic attacks, finding it impossible to stay awake at different times during the day. In severe cases, these attacks can occur when an individual is walking, playing a sport, or even in the middle of a conversation. More commonly, the attacks come on while performing a sedentary activity, such as watching a movie or reading a book. Because of this, individuals just assume they are tired, and their condition can go undiagnosed for many years.
Other conditions like Nocturnal Myoclonus-rigorous movement during sleep- are quite common. Also, many children are affected by sleep disorders such as sleepwalking, bedwetting, and night terrors.
Because sleep is a crucial element to a healthy life, those experiencing difficulty sleeping or a lack of energy during the day should consult a physician.
Enhanced by Zemanta