“Tears are a river that take you somewhere.”
— Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Depression
According to the National Institute on Mental Health, major depressive disorder affects approximately 14.8 million American adults. Depression is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. for people ages 15 to 44. Depression usually affects the mind as well as the body. You may have persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, anxiousness, and being overly critical of yourself. Depression also affects your physical well-being as you may have trouble sleeping, concentrating, and may feel tired during the day. It’s not easy to “just snap out of it” when you are feeling depressed. It can affect your whole life.
Depression symptoms
- Feeling depressed, down, or sad nearly every day
- Decreased interest in all, or almost all, activities most of the time
- Changes in appetite – either increased or decreased
- Changes in sleep – getting either more or less sleep than normal
- Loss of energy or feeling tired nearly every day
- Feeling restless
- Feeling guilty or worthless
- Difficulty concentrating or feeling more indecisive than usual
- Recurring thoughts of death or suicide
Major depressive disorder can affect all aspects of your life. It can strain your relationships, work, and feelings of self-worth. If you are experiencing symptoms of depression, it’s important to seek help from a mental health professional.
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