Many people suffer from depression for a long time without realizing it, until they experience sleep disturbances, slowed thinking, decreased motivation, or even suicidal thoughts, at which point their emotional abnormalities become apparent; often, this is when they miss the best opportunity for treatment.
What are the symptoms of depression?
Sleep disorders
The typical characteristics of sleep disorders include waking up early, usually 2-3 hours earlier than usual, difficulty falling back asleep after waking, accompanied by persistent pessimistic emotions.
Loss of interest
Patients lose enthusiasm for life and work, experience a decline in interest, lose interest in former hobbies, tend to live in solitude, avoid social interaction, and feel emotionally distant.
Loss of energy
Patients exhibit symptoms of fatigue and weakness, find daily activities such as personal hygiene and dressing challenging, and describe themselves as having a “mental breakdown” or feeling “like a deflated balloon,” indicating both physical and psychological exhaustion.
Low self-evaluation
Patients often show self-deprecation, viewing their past, present, and future with a negative and critical attitude, completely denying their own abilities and worth.
Persistent significant depressive state
Patients may experience symptoms such as distraction, memory decline, slowed thinking, blocked thought processes, and sluggish actions; some patients may exhibit significant anxiety and nervousness.
Negative pessimism
Patients undergo profound psychological distress, manifesting as extreme pain, pessimism, and feelings of despair, perceiving life as a heavy burden, lacking attachment, and even developing extreme thoughts of seeking relief through death.
Physical symptoms
Depressed patients often experience a variety of physical symptoms, including decreased appetite leading to weight loss, sleep disturbances, reduced sexual function, as well as heart palpitations, hand tremors, and headaches caused by insomnia. These physiological reactions exacerbate the patient’s psychological burden, often leading them to mistakenly believe they are seriously ill, further deepening their depressive emotions.
