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Symptoms of Depression

Topic Overview

You may be depressed if you have at least five of these symptoms for 2 weeks or longer, and one of the symptoms is either sadness or loss of interest.

  • You feel sad or hopeless.
  • You lose interest in or stop getting pleasure from most daily activities.
  • You lose or gain a lot of weight because of changes in how hungry you feel.
  • You sleep too much or too little.
  • You feel restless and unable to sit still, or you sit quietly and feel that moving takes great effort.
  • You feel tired all the time.
  • You feel unworthy or guilty for no reason. You may worry that people don't like you.
  • You find it hard to focus, remember things, or make decisions.

A serious symptom of depression is thinking about death and suicide. If you or someone you care about talks about suicide or feeling hopeless, get help right away.

Learn the warning signs of suicide, which include talking a lot about death, giving things away, or using a lot of alcohol or drugs or both. If you see these signs in yourself or a loved one, get help.

Credits

By Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer Lisa S. Weinstock, MD - Psychiatry
Last Revised January 12, 2011

Last Revised: January 12, 2011

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & Lisa S. Weinstock, MD - Psychiatry

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