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The foremost symptoms of depression are loss of interest, loss of energy, and an inability to experience pleasure. Sadness associated with depression is often described as inescapable and more painful than normal sadness, which the person may or may not be able to remember having. Depression can be so overwhelming that a person cannot recognize the symptoms. Many symptoms are revealed only when treatment begins.
Symptoms of depression include the following:
Loss of Energy
More than 90% of depressed people experience overwhelming loss of energy. This can cause a person to stay home and avoid social interaction, and prevent a person from starting or finishing projects, maintaining previous interests, or exercising. The effects of diminished energy compound the effects of depression, when work, school, and family obligations are compromised. Also, lack of activity results in loss of muscle tone, muscle mass, and, eventually, bone mass. In turn, these effects lead to degeneration in physique, strength, and physical well-being.
Feelings of Worthlessness
Feelings of worthlessness are common during episodes of depression. Depressed people often feel they are not good at anything and not important to anyone. It becomes impossible for them to accept compliments, or to recognize their achievements. Low self-esteem not only intensifies a low mood, it also compounds a negative view of the world. The apathy that results can obscure a personç—´ recognition and treatment of depression. Depressed people may get so used to having low self-esteem that they feel ineffectual (like they have no impact on the world). Self-loathing and extensive, unwarranted guilt often result from feelings of worthlessness.
Sleep Disruption
Approximately 80% of depressed people suffer from insomnia and may be unable to fall asleep (sleep onset insomnia). This can lead to a loss of energy, excessive daytime sleepiness, and fatigue. Polysomnogrpahic tests have shown less REM sleep in depressed people, which means less time in deep sleep and less dreaming. Sleep disorders are twice as likely to cause depression as vice versa. People with insomnia are 4 times as likely to suffer from depression as people who sleep normally and people with psychiatric disorders are twice as likely to experience insomnia. Insomnia is also a symptom of other psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia.
Conversely, some depressed people sleep a lot during the day, and longer than normal at night. Feelings of isolation may cause people with depression to sleep too much.
Weight Loss and Weight Gain
When depressed people lose the energy it takes to accomplish basic tasks, important needs such as eating are compromised. Many depressed people lose their appetite, which results in erratic eating habits and missed meals. Subsequent weight loss may result in nutritional deficiency and mental and physical sluggishness. A high percentage of people, especially women, who suffer from eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating, are diagnosed with depressive disorder. Some people with depression have an increased appetite and gain weight. These people are usually the same who oversleep.
Loss of Libido
Depression manifestations such as weight gain, sleeping too much, and a loss of interest in sex are known as vegetative states. Feelings of worthlessness and self-loathing, combined with a disinterest in pleasure, cause a loss of intimacy and a decline in sexual activity. Depressed people (especially those undiagnosed) are typically unable to talk about the cause for their reduced sexual drive with their partners. When partners do not understand that depression is causing an absence of intimacy, counseling and sex therapy is often sought without a proper diagnosis of mood disorder. Loss of libido is also a common side effect of antidepressant medications.
Psychomotor Agitation and Psychomotor Retardation
Psychomotor agitation and retardation occur in depression, producing states of over activity and under activity respectively. Agitation and retardation can lead to impaired cognition, judgment, reason, and decision making, which often further isolates depressed people and prolongs symptoms. Psychomotor agitation can also lead to generalized restlessness.
Motor agitation is rarer than motor retardation and is often occurs in the elderly. Over activity in this sense does not mean mania. The agitated state in major depressive disorder should not be confused with the manic episode that occurs in bipolar disorder, when mood is temporarily elevated by a transient sense of hope and elation.
Psychomotor activities are the physical gestures that result from mental processes and are a product of the psyche. Many psychomotor behaviors associated with mental disorder affect impulses, cravings, instincts, and wishes. The spectrum of agitated behavior includes the following:
Incoherent conversation
Expansive gesturing
Pacing and hair twirling
Psychomotor retardation manifests as a slowing of coordination, speech, and impaired articulation. In this state, a person appears sluggish and seems hesitant or confused in speech and intention.
Suicidal Ideation
Depression can be a fatal disease. Recurrent thoughts of death, especially suicide, plague about 60% of depressed people, and 15% commit suicide. Women attempt suicide more often than men, but men succeed nearly twice as often.
Other Symptoms
In addition to the main criteria for diagnosis, several other symptoms are common to depression. These include:
Withdrawal (i.e., from family, friends, work, school)
Quitting activities previously enjoyed (e.g., sports, hobbies)
Violence (especially in depressed adolescents and the elderly)
Inability to cry despite the urge
Generalized negative views
Memory loss (i.e., plans, short-term)
Slumped posture, especially when at rest
Lack of facial expression
Repeated loss of concentration, often with trancelike staring
Substance dependency (e.g., alcoholism, illicit drug use)
Disregard for appearance and personal hygiene
Compulsion that affects most normal activities
Recurrent need to get away, leave town, or talk of this need
You've decided to do it. Life is impossible. Suicide is your way out. Fine -- but before you kill yourself, consider these facts:
Suicide is not usually successful.
You know a guaranteed way? Ask the 25yr old who tried to electrocute himself. He lived. But, both of his arms are gone.
What about jumping? Ask John. He used to be intelligent, with an engaging sence of humor. That was before he lept from a building. Now, he's brain damaged and will always need care. He staggers and has seizures. He lives in a fog. But, worst of all, he knows he used to be normal.
What about pills? Ask the 12yr old with extensice liver damage from an overdose. Have you ever seen anyone die of liver damage? You turn yellow. It's a hard way to go.
What about a gun? Ask the 24yd old who shot himself in the head. Now he drags one leg, has a useless arm and has no vision or hearing on one side. He lived through his "foolproof" suicide.
You might too. But .. who will clean your blood off the carpet or scrape your brains from the ceiling? Commercial cleaning companies may refuse the job -- but someone has to do it. Who will cut you down from where you hung yourself, or identify your bloated body after you've drowned? Your father? Your mother? Your sister or brother? The carefully worded "loving" suicide note is of no help. Those who loved you will never completely recover. They'll feel regret and an unending pain.
Suicide is contagious. Look around your family. You do have other choices. There are people you can help you through this crisis. Call a hotline. Call a friend. Call a doctor or hospital. Call the police. They will tell you there's hope. Maybe in a phone call this weekend. But what you're seeking could be just a minute, a month, or a day away.
You say you don't want to be stopped? Still want to do it? Well, then, I may see you in the psychiatric ward later. And we'll work with whatever you have left.
If you are reading this, steal it and put it in your site too. If you're seriously considering this permanent solution to a temporary problem, please find help. This isn't the way to go, you may think that everyone would just be better off without you, but have you ever seen a family who has lost a loved one to suicide? They're messed up, the parents usually get divorced, the siblings never talk to each other. This not only ends your life, it changes the lives of others around you, but not in a good way. There are people who love you, and people who have been through the same things as you, even though it may not seem like it at times. So please, seek help.
& I hope you have realized ;; Suicide's not the way out. there are so many other safer ways of dealing with your problems. Maybe you think it's easier to just die. But think of what you are giving up. you're leaving your family, friends, and all the people who care about you and love you. And maybe you're not even that old yet, you have to experience life, find true love, that kind of stuff. Killing yourself isn't going to help. That's just running away from your problems, it's not solving anything, it's not making it better.
I know i can't convince you to not commit suicide, but just please think about everything a little before you do anything.
There's always someone who will be there for you to talk things through even if it seems like no one is there for you. Everything will get better, and it will be okay.
So whenever you are going to pick up that knife, or razor, just think about all the people you are leaving behind, all the memories, and all the good times.
I guess sometimes everybody feels like they want to die at lease once in their life. And you think there is no other way, just read this over.
Remember:
Your life is the most valuable thing you have! And once you decide to commit suicide, if you succeed, you can't take it back. I know depression is a hard thing to deal with and it's not an easy thing to over come, believe me, I've been there. But there are things you can do to make your life better. But really, think about it, do you really want to die now? Think of everything you'll miss out on, true love, children, grand-children, your dream job, no more music! Don't do it.
This is pretty cheesy but whatever.. Maybe it will help?
1. At least 2 people in this world love you so much they would die for you.
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you.
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.
5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6. You mean the world to someone.
7. If not for you, someone may not be living.
8. You are special and unique.
9. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.
10. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
11. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take a look: you most likely turned your back on the world.
12. When you think you have no chance of getting what you want, you probably won't get it, but if you believe in yourself, probably, sooner or later, you will get it.
13. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.
