May 1997 Article on Depression May 1997 feature Article Depression by J. Gregory Fisher, M.D. Depression is one of the most common of medical illnesses. Depression may vary from mild to more severe forms. In its most severe form, depression may even present psychosis or loss of contact with reality manifested by either hallucinations such as hearing voices or seeing things or disturbed perceptions about one's body such as the unshaking belief that one might have cancer.
Suicidal ideation is often a serious complication of depression.
Besides low mood, there are many other potential symptoms of depression. One prime potential symptom of depression is a loss of interest or pleasure in things that one might usually enjoy. Other symptoms of depression may include significant changes in one's appetite, problems with either sleeping too little or too much, being profoundly sluggish or tired or being overly revved up, feeling worthless or guilty, trouble with thinking and concentrating and recurrent thoughts of death. It is not necessary that one have all these symptoms but more a cluster of several of the symptoms. Generally speaking, a true depression is something that has been ongoing for at least a few weeks.