Severity

It is possible to distinguish between different severities of depression. Below you can read about these distinctions. You can also read more about the different  symptoms of depression here.

Mild depression

The symptoms of mild depression are the following:

• Feeling generally  sad and lacking the energy to carry out your daily functions and activities. You may be able to mask your moods but not for very long.
• The things that used to interest you no longer appeal to you.
• You feel very tired even if you are sleeping well at night. You may misinterpret the tiredness and think you are physically unwell.
• You may have physical symptoms. This could include generalised aches and pains, dizziness, bowel changes etc.

If you have ongoing physical symptoms which you cannot explain, it is important to see your General Practitioner.

Moderate depression

The symptoms of moderate depression are similar to those of mild depression but the symptoms are worse and are present almost all the time. You are less able to mask your symptoms. You are sad, lack energy and and lack interest in the people and events around you. Your thoughts are negative and you have low self-esteem and feelings of guilt that are not realistic and may be poorly understood by friends and family.

You also lack interest in the things that used to be a source of joy. Your interest in your family and your work is reduced. Your level of concentration is greatly reduced, and you are no longer interested or able to read books or or watch your favorite TV shows.

Making small decisions becomes very difficult. It can be difficult to decide what you should buy for dinner or which route to drive to work. You don't feel like going out and being sociable and just want to be by yourself at home.

Twenty-four-hour variation

If you are suffering from moderate depression, you may experience a twenty-four-hour variation in your mood. That means that you can feel lousy in the morning and start feeling better towards the evening.

You don't sleep very well and don't feel refreshed. You may find it relatively easy to fall asleep but you wake up after only a few hours of sleep and cannot get back to sleep. Many people find lying awake in the early hours of the morning the biggest problem. Your negative thoughts and problems seem worse at these times and you feel very alone.

Reduced appetite

It is not uncommon for you to lose 5-10% of your body weight.

You may lose your sexual drive during a moderate depression. You may have a need for closeness and touch but your lack of sexual drive or libido can cause you to experience even more feelings of guilt.

Severe depression

In severe depression you have the same symptoms as in mild and moderate depression. But the symptoms are even more pronounced.

If you are suffering from severe depression, you experience a 'blackness' in your mood that is difficult to emerge from. Many people cry excessively but this is not always a feature of severe depression.