Symptoms of depression will vary depending on the severity of the condition. In mild cases it will just display as a sad feeling. However in true clinical depression there are many more symptoms to consider.
One of the first ones to understand is the feeling of sadness. This should not be confused with feeling sad over and event or loss of a dear one. This is an inconsolable empty feeling that seems to come without any cause or reason. In fact it can also be the urge to cry for no apparent reason.
Anhedonia: This is when you are unable to feel pleasure in most or all of your activities. Things that you used to enjoy doing just do not arouse any good feelings anymore. It seems that you have lost the ability to feel happy and enthusiastic about anything.
Weight loss or gain (5% or more in the space of a month) is a sign that something is wrong. This can be more apparent in children especially underweight.
Sleep can often be disturbed. You may find your sleep patterns are becoming irregular. Either you can be unable to sleep or find that you are sleeping too much.
You may find you are nervous, restless and agitated and can even be irritable. Or on the other hand you may slow down and feel listless with no energy to do things. In extreme cases some people feel the urge to lie down all day and wallow in their depression. It is important for your physical and mental health to seek help if this is becoming your daily habit.
Extreme tiredness and fatigue is one of the common symptoms of depression. Of course this should not be confused with any underlying physical problems you may have.
One of the worst symptoms of depression is the feeling that you are worthlessness and can never achieve anything. This is often coupled with a terrible feeling of guilt even if you have had no control over the event. This need to punish yourself can lead to other serious problems.
Your mind is not functioning as well as it should. You experience a distinct loss in your ability to think. Lack of concentration is very common in depression. The inability to make decisions is also prevalent. It is sometimes referred to as brain fog.
One of the most dangerous symptoms of depression is thinking about death. Sometimes you can get quite obsessed by this topic. Fantasising and even having reoccurring dreams of death can lead to a dangerous suicidal mood. It is important to realize the gravity of this condition as there are many suicides that occur due to depression