Symptoms of depression

In the first post I quoted the article which explains the built-up of depression. Now let us look closely on its symptoms so that we know every bit about the sickness we face. Here I’m posting the list of the most common symptoms of depression with my comments.
Feedback is much appreciated.

1. Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feeling sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful). (In children and adolescents, this may be characterized as an irritable mood.)

This one is the most common symptom associated with depression and it is quite different from ‘feeling blues’. The main difference is that the feeling of sadness \ emptiness during depression is nearly constant. Moreover you keep thinking about it and pity yourself which makes it worse.

2. Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day

No matter If you have to participate in some job-related or fun activities - you wake up in the morning tired and go on through the day feeling sad and unwilling to do anything but sit and think about how bad you feel today. Everything else seems worthless if not annoying.

3. Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain (e.g., a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month), or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day.

e.g. you are sure that you are not physically hungry. However, you keep eating more and more. Be it intentional search for some food in your kitchen or unwitting constant picking of some snacks while reading or sitting at the computer.

4. Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day

Troubles with getting to sleep and waking up in the morning, sleepy feeling during the day, multiple awakenings during the night, a desire to sleep long hours – sleeping disorders and depression are tied closely and can influence each other in different ways.

5. Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day

Swinging emotions as well as sudden changes from tiredness and lack of movement to agitation and rush.

6. Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day

This one is close to the second point: every action either physical or cognitive causes energy loss, annoyance and tiredness.

7. Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every day

Consequences from unwillingness to do anything lead to the thoughts like “I don’t want and can’t do anything, I do everything wrong, I am a burden to everyone” etc. These thoughts bore sense of guilt for everybody and lack of confidence which make original depressive feelings worse.

8. Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day

Inability to concentrate or attempts to concentrate on too many things, being at the same time unable to finish all of them properly. Attempts to complete many tasks at the same time.

9. Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide

It can be not even a real suicide planning, but playing and experiencing a ‘movie’ in the mind of how will it be to commit suicide. However planning, attempting and committing suicide is a way for patients to free themselves from suffering on critical stage of depression.

The list is taken from here.