400. What are the symptoms of a serious clinical depression?

A Major Depression is marked by a combination of symptoms that occur together, and last for at least two weeks without significant improvement.  Symptoms from at least five of the following categories must be present for a major depression, although even a few of the symptom clusters are indicators of a depression, but perhaps not a major depression. 

• Persistent depressed, sad, anxious, or empty mood. 
• Feeling worthless, helpless, or experiencing excessive or inappropriate guilt. 
• Hopeless about the future, excessive pessimistic feelings. 
• Loss of interest and pleasure in your usual activities
• Decreased energy and chronic fatigue
• Loss of memory, difficulty making decisions or concentrating
• Irritability or restlessness or agitation
• Sleep disturbances, either difficulty sleeping, or sleeping too much
• Loss of appetite and interest in food, or overeating, with weight gain
• Recurring thoughts of death, or suicidal thoughts or actions 

 This list is a guide to help you understand depression. It is not offered for you to diagnose yourself. If you have some of these symptoms, don't focus on how many symptoms you have. Instead, talk to a psychologist about how you have been feeling, to see if he/she can help.

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