It isn’t always easy to tell when normal reactions to difficult situations (grief, sadness, etc.) have crossed the line towards clinical depression that needs treatment. However, the number of signs or symptoms you are experiencing, along with the duration and frequency you have them are all important. You are probably dealing with clinical depression (which warrants a visit to your doctor for evaluation) if you have experienced 5 or more of the following symptoms (and at least one of them is among the first two listed), nearly every day for two weeks or more:
- Loss of interest in things you normally enjoy
- Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless
- Thoughts of death or suicide
- Feeling worthless or guilty
- Problems falling asleep, staying asleep, waking too early or sleeping too much
- Unexplained decrease or increase in appetite, resulting in weight gain or loss within the last month.
- Trouble thinking, concentrating, remembering, and making decisions
- Extreme tiredness or lack of energy that interferes with your ability to work or take care of your daily responsibilities
- Feeling restless, unable to sit still, or abnormally slow when moving