People with depression often present with depressed mood, loss of interest in activities, poor concentration, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and thoughts of suicide

Sadness is a normal reaction to life’s problems. It is common for people to use the word “depression” to describe sad feelings. However, depression is more than just normal sadness (Projecthelping.org, n.d.).

Depression is an overwhelming feeling of sadness. It happens even when everything in one’s life seems to be going right.  Some people with depression do not feel sadness at all. Instead, they feel lifeless, empty, and uninterested in life. Some people may even feel angry, aggressive, and or restless. Depression is different from normal sadness. Depression becomes the center of one’s day-to-day life. It interferes with working, eating, and sleeping. Individuals with long standing depression feel helpless, hopeless, and worthless (Maurer, 2012). These feelings are usually intense and do not go away. In other people, nonspecific symptoms (e.g., abdominal pain, back pain, change in weight or appetite, constipation, generalized weakness, sleeping too much or sleeping only a little) is what bothering the person (Maurer, 2012).

Last updated: June 7, 2020 at 16:33 pm by
I. M. Abumaria, Doctor of Nursing Practice
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