Another thing to look for is changes in personality. The person stops doing activities they normally enjoy. They may sleep for hours every day, miss appointments, be late for work, or feel tired all the time. Those who want to help might ask the person how they are feeling and perhaps point out that they haven't been themselves lately. Often the person is aware that they are depressed and may even want someone to confront them about it.
Some people think that depression is just an extreme form of being sad.
Sadness does not just come and stay for most of the day, every day for two weeks. Even though family members usually have the best of intentions, if they do not accept the fact that depression is a chemical imbalance, their words of comfort may cause a depressed person to feel isolated and guilty. Statements like this may cause the person to think they are weak because they can't cope with the stresses of life. Someone who is concerned for a loved-one who is depressed should first try to get them to seek professional help. Although battling depression does involve a combination of medication and social interaction, the person may need medication to help motivate them to help themselves.