Am I Depressed?
By Chas Oliver Contrary to what some people may think, being in a down mood is not a cause for concern. What is a cause for concern is being in a constant elevated or unconcerned mood: these states are symptomatic of mental disorders. But being in a down mood is normal and even healthy — depending on how often youre in a down mood, and how long your down mood lasts. Every human being functioning on a normal psychological level has an unpleasant emotional outlook at times. We dont live in Happy Land: we live in a reality state that is sometimes harsh and painful. It is to be expected, it is normal, to emotionally react to our circumstances. Dysfunction sets in when reaction to life circumstances is chronic, or inappropriate. As an example, a person attending their best friends funeral who is overtly upbeat and cheery is giving signals of mental distress: the bereaved friends reaction is inappropriate for the circumstances. Perhaps intervention is called for in such a case, perhaps it isnt, but observation is certainly a good idea. Conversely, a person who openly cries over their best friends death every day for three weeks is also displaying dysfunction: in this case, the bereaved friends considerable emotional upset has become chronic. What are the symptoms of depression? Keeping in mind the expression of depression symptoms is not universal among depressed people, the general symptoms of depression are persistent sadness, fatigue, loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities, changes in sleep and eating habits, neglect of personal responsibility or personal care. If you are feeling or expressing some or most of these symptoms, youre likely depressed. Is a depressed condition a serious matter? Perhaps. Depression is a certainly a serious condition in three instances: - If a depressive mood leads to thoughts of suicide: the genuine possibility of death is an emergency under any circumstances, and must be addressed immediately. - If depression is present, but is not linked to any particular event: if you feel depressed but are unable to link your depressed mood to a recent life event, intervention is called for. - If youve been feeling or presenting depressive symptoms for days or weeks on end and/or youre unable to change your outlook: symptoms of any medical condition that are chronic, or that dont respond to personal efforts to get better, should always be investigated. Depression does not always require intervention. A person who loses their job or gets divorced may go into a depression, a reaction that is most understandable. In reasonable time however, most people in these kinds of circumstances do adjust and get back to a normal, functional routine. Get help for depression at depression treatment. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chas_Oliver http://EzineArticles.com/?Am-I-Depressed?&id=444997 san antonio online car loan obsessive compulsive disorder and payday loans online title loans natwest ban loan short term
