Symptoms and Danger Signs
Warning Signs of Suicide
- Talking about suicide.
- Statements about hopelessness, helplessness,
or worthlessness.
- Preoccupation with death.
- Suddenly happier, calmer.
- Loss of interest in things one cares about.
- Visiting or calling people one cares about.
- Making arrangements; setting one's affairs in order.
- Giving things away.
A suicidal person urgently needs to see a doctor or psychiatrist.
Symptoms
of Major Depression
Not all people with depression will show all symptoms
or have them to the same degree. If a person has
four or more
symptoms,
for more
than two weeks, consult a medical doctor or psychiatrist.
While the symptoms specified for all groups below
generally characterize
major
depression, there are other disorders with similar
characteristics including: unipolar depression,
bipolar illness, anxiety
disorder, or attention deficit disorder with or
without hyperactivity.
Remember that only a medical doctor can diagnose depression.
In Adults
- Persistent sad or "empty" mood.
- Feeling hopeless, helpless, worthless, pessimistic and/or guilty.
- Substance abuse.
- Fatigue or loss of interest in ordinary activities, including
sex.
- Disturbances in eating and sleeping patterns.
- Irritability, increased crying, anxiety or panic attacks.
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions.
- Thoughts of suicide; suicide plans or attempts.
- Persistent physical symptoms or pains that do not respond to
treatment.
In Infants
It’s important to understand what constitutes normal development
in infants, children and adolescents vs. what may be signs of a depressive
illness. You may not see a drastic change in a child/adolescent's
behavior or mood if they were born with a depressive illness. It may
be part of their make-up having been present from day one.
- Unresponsive when talked to or touched, never smile or cry, or
may cry often being difficult to soothe.
- Failure to gain weight (not due to other medical illness).
- Unmotivated in play.
- Restless, oversensitive to noise or touch.
- Problems with eating or sleeping.
- Digestive disorders (constipation/diarrhea).
In Children
In children, depressive illnesses/anxiety may be disguised as,
or presented as, school
phobia or school avoidance, social phobia or
social avoidance,
excessive separation anxiety, running away, obsessions, compulsions,
or everyday
rituals, such as having to go to bed at
the exact time each
night for fear something bad may
happen. Chronic illnesses
may be present also
since depression weakens the immune system.
- Persistent unhappiness, negativity, complaining, chronic boredom,
no initiative.
- Uncontrollable anger with aggressive or destructive
behavior, possibly hitting themselves
or others, kicking, or self-biting, head banging. Harming animals.
- Continual disobedience.
- Easily frustrated, frequent crying, low
self-esteem, overly sensitive.
- Inability to pay attention, remember,
or make decisions, easily distracted, mind goes blank.
- Energy fluctuations
from lethargic to frenzied activity, with periods of normalcy.
- Eating or sleeping problems.
- Bedwetting, constipation, diarrhea.
Impulsiveness, accident-prone.
- Chronic worry & fear, clingy,
panic attacks.
- Extreme self-consciousness.
- Slowed speech & body movements.
- Disorganized speech - hard to
follow when telling you a story, etc.
- Physical symptoms such as
dizziness, headaches, stomachaches, arms
or legs ache, nail-biting, pulling out hair or eyelashes. (ruling out
other medical causes)
- Suicidal talk or attempts.
In Adolescents
Depressive illnesses/anxiety may be disguised as, or presented
as, eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia, drug/alcohol
abuse,
sexual promiscuity, risk-taking behavior such as reckless driving,
unprotected
sex, carelessness when walking
across
busy streets,
or on bridges or cliffs. There may be social isolation, running away,
constant disobedience, getting into trouble with the law, physical
or sexual
assaults against others,
obnoxious behavior,
failure
to
care about appearance/hygiene, no sense
of self
or
of values/morals, difficulty cultivating
relationships, inability
to establish/stick
with occupational/educational goals.
- Physical symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, stomachaches,
neck
aches, arms or legs hurt due to muscle tension, digestive disorders.
(ruling out other medical causes)
- Persistent unhappiness, negativity,
irritability.
- Uncontrollable anger or outbursts of rage.
- Overly self-critical,
unwarranted guilt, low self-esteem. Inability to concentrate,
think straight, remember, or make decisions,
possibly resulting in refusal to study in school or an inability (due to
depression or attention
deficit disorder) to do schoolwork.
- Slowed
or hesitant speech or body movements, or restlessness (anxiety).
- Loss of interest in once pleasurable activities.
- Low energy, chronic
fatigue, sluggishness.
- Change in appetite, noticeable weight loss
or weight gain, or abnormal
eating patterns.
- Chronic worry, excessive fear.
- Preoccupation with death themes in
literature, music, drawings, speaking
of death repeatedly, fascination with guns/knives.
- Suicidal thoughts, plans,
or attempts.
In the Elderly
Many people feel that it is normal for elderly persons to be
depressed. This is a dangerous misconception. If you suspect
an
older adult
is suffering from a depressive illness, a thorough medical examination
should be given
as soon
as possible.
- Unusual complaints of aches and pains (back, stomach,
arms, legs,
head, chest), fatigue, slowed movements and speech, loss of appetite,
inability to sleep, weight increase
or decrease, blurred
vision, dizziness,
heart racing, anxiety.
- Inability to concentrate, remember
or think straight (sometimes mistaken
for dementia). An overall sadness or apathy, withdrawal; inability to
find pleasure in anything.
- Irritability, mood swings or constant complaining;
nothing seems to
make the person happy.
- Talk of worthlessness, not being needed anymore, excessive
and unwarranted
guilt.
- Frequent doctor visits without relief in symptoms; all tests come
out negative.
- Alcoholism, which can mask an underlying depression.
Symptoms of Mania:
- Decreased need for sleep.
- Restless, agitated, can't sit still. Increased energy, or an inability
to slow down.
- Racing, disorganized thoughts, easily distracted.
- Rapid, increased
talking or laughing
- Grandiose ideas, increased creativity.
- Overly excited, euphoric,
giddy, exhilarated.
- Excessive irritability, on edge.
- Increased sex drive, possibly resulting
in affairs, inappropriate
sexual behaviors.
- Poor judgment, impulsiveness, spending sprees
- Embarrassing social
behavior
- Paranoia, delusions, hallucinations
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