No longer feeling pleasure when you do things that would usually be fun. Feeling less energy. Seeing changes in your appetite, weight, sleeping patterns, or having more physical pain. Feeling bad enough that you are having trouble doing your normal activities at work or at home. Most people have symptoms of depression at some point in their lives.
Depression can range from a minor problem to a major, life-threatening illness.
As a minor illness, symptoms can go away by themselves. However, it is time to take action when symptoms last for two weeks or more and they are getting in the way of your normal actions at work or home. If you are experiencing several of the following signs of depression or are observing them in a family member or close friend, it may be time to seek professional help. Biochemical changes in the brain that affect how you feel, think, and act. These can range from tragedies such as losing a loved one or contracting a major illness to happy events such as having a baby, getting married, or starting a new job.