How to Recognize the Symptoms of Clinical Depression

It is very rare that someone has not encountered an individual who might seem to have symptoms of clinical depression. If one is sensitive enough to look for these mostly subtle and sometimes not so subtle signs of a depressive disorder, the sufferer could be encouraged or referred to a mental health practitioner for further evaluation and possibly treatment as well.

Prominent Symptoms of Clinical Depression

• While there are many subtle signs and symptoms of clinical depression, certain signs could be more pronounced and might call for immediate attention. If a person talks about death or committing suicide, or if he talks about physically harming himself or even attempts to do so, it could be seen as a sign of an underlying Clinical Depression.

• Loss of interest in sex, sleeping too much or sleeping too less, not finding pleasure in previously enjoyed activities could all be signs of an emotional disturbance. Those concerned should look out for changes in behaviour which could include social withdrawal, being tearful or having crying bouts for no particular reason, and what one might call 'a sad mood'. One must understand that sadness is not the same as being depressed, as clinical depression is a collection of symptoms with sadness being one of the symptoms of clinical depression.

Less Prominent Symptoms of Clinical Depression

• While the above stated symptoms can be easily identified, a depressed person might appear to be normal. In such circumstances, one needs to be extra sensitive to certain clues like physical complaints, unexplained weight gain or weight loss, loss of appetite, and even loss of interest in personal grooming.

• Many depressed people try to hide their emotional disturbance by appearing to be cheerful and 'normal'. However, a sensitive individual would be able to gauge symptoms of clinical depression when the person's larger worldview is dominated by pessimism or bleakness towards future.