Some of the common signs of depression are depressed moods, loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, withdrawal from social activities, feeling of being useless or helpless, self criticism, insomnia and weight loss. If someone in your family is showing signs, it is very important to talk to a Doctor or counselor about getting help. Ignoring it will not make it go away and it will not solve anything.
Depression can adversely affect everything from work to friendships.
There are different kinds of depression, the most common being manic which means the person affected swings from a peak so high where they feel invincible to one so low they wish they were dead. The next is chronic depression where the person never hits a high like that, they stay so low predominantly that when they think they are high, they have usually only hit the mood most people would consider normal. When a family member is suffering from depression in any form, it is important to realize that this does affect the whole family. Everyone in the household feels the repercussions of it. Children are affected because they sense the moods of those they are close to.