Symptoms of Depression | Do I have depression? What can I do?

"I'm female, 26 years old, and for the past few years I have been gettting more tired and irritated at everything. I have lost my appetite and I don't eat much, and for the last few months it's been getting worse. I have to drag my self out of bed just to get my daughter to school. Then, I go right back to sleep. It's affecting my family. Do I have depression?"

First of all, it’s really great that you are reaching out for help. That means that although you have lost your motivation in most areas there is still a little bit of it that has pushed through the pain. It’s that part of you that I am going to encourage to seek even more help. It’s important that you go see a psychotherapist and medical doctor to rule out other possibilities of what might be going on with you or confirm that you are depressed. It’s impossible to answer your question on a personal level in this format so I implore you to seek professional help.

Depressive symptoms can mimic the symptoms of many physical conditions such as thyroid issues, hormonal imbalances just to name a few. Proper treatment can only come after a proper evaluation and diagnosis. Having said that I would take a self inventory of what is going on in your life that has contributed to the symptoms.

For instance, have there been any recent changes related to school/work, family or health? Has there been a change to a friend or family member that has had an emotional impact on you? If the answer is yes, it may be that your environment is contributing to your mood and behavior changes. This is called an environmental depression.

I would also ask yourself if you have felt like this in the past? If so, it may be what’s called a recurrent depression. A recurrent depression is when you have experienced one or more episodes of depression in the past lasting at least two weeks.

I would also think about if there has been anything that has helped the symptoms go away even temporarily. If you can identify even something small it may contribute greatly towards resolving the symptoms. You must become your own advocate in getting better. As hard as it is to take these steps, sometimes actively thinking about the evolution of symptoms can actually help resolve them. It also will make you and your doctor or therapist a team. Fighting against depression as a team is so much more powerful and effective than being a passive participant in your own treatment.

SOURCE: http://www.dailystrength.org