Am I depressed?

Depression is a common term today. There is no doubt it makes our daily life miserable. Maybe you are feeling depressed, but it is necessarily not an illness. Depression is a mood issue that we face in daily life more or less. Mild or even moderate depression is a very common factor that we experience in our daily life. There are several easy mechanisms to get rid of it without professional help. But if it continues for several months, it may turn into a major depression, which is considered a disorder. But don’t be panicked. It is also curable.

If you are experiencing occasional sadness, then you need to know basic information related to depression.

What is depression?

Depression is a common medical issue that affects your feelings, thoughts and actions negatively. It causes a constant feeling of sadness. You may lose interest even in your favourite activities. Several types of physical and emotional problems can arise due to depression and it may decrease your performance at home and workplace.

Depression can be mild, moderate or major. You can handle your depression by yourself when it is mild or moderate. But you need professional help if it is a major case, which is called a major depressive disorder.

What are the symptoms of depression?

The symptoms of depression can vary from person to person. But there are several common traits that can be seen in almost all individuals.

Feeling sad
Having a low mood
Feeling guilty or worthless
Loss of pleasure or interest in those activities that you used to enjoy once
Some people experience a loss in appetite while some experience increase in appetite.
You may lose weight or gain it. None of them may be related to your dieting.
You may experience major changes in your sleeping pattern. It may be insomnia or hypersomnia.
Increased fatigue or loss of energy
You may experience either an increase in physical activities, that have no particular purpose such as changes in handwriting, pacing, unable to sit still; or your speech or movement may be slowed. Other people can observe both of these changes in you.
You may feel difficulty in decision-making, concentrating or even thinking.
Thoughts of suicide or death are common incidents in major cases.

How to get rid of depression?

There are several methods in a clinical setting to treat depression. These methods include medication, psychotherapy, electroconvulsive Therapy, and so on. But only professionals can apply those methods to treat their patients. But there is also something that you can do to reduce your symptoms.

At first, you need to improve your mood through positive thinking. You need to practice perceiving your surroundings from a positive perspective. To do so, you need to keep yourself healthy. Regular exercise can help you in this matter.
Try to make your mind calm before sleeping. Practising meditation on your bed will help you pretty good. You need quality sleep daily.
Eat healthy food and try to avoid alcohol.
Try to avoid unnecessary burdens.
Feel free to share your feelings with a reliable person.

See you in the next post with an elaboration of "How to get rid of depression" by yourself.

Take care.