Coping With and Understanding Your Depression

Lawrence Todryk. Psy.D., M.B.A.

Feelings of sadness, loss, and depression are a part of life. Life provides many opportunities to copy with and process our feelings in response to our external life. Depression affects millions of Americans every day. It is necessary to be aware of when a person is becoming depressed. The following are some indicators of depression.

• Feeling depressed or sadness over for extended periods of time.
• Sleep disturbance, either significant increase in sleep or decrease in sleep.
• Disturbance in appetite, either a decrease or an increase in appetite.
• A strong sense of hopelessness or helplessness.
• A strong feeling of negativity about the future and regarding self.
• Reduced ability to concentrate.
• Less ability to stay focused.
• Loss of motivation to do what was pleasurable.

Depression can become severe and may have significant consequences. A person can become impaired in their ability to perform work, family, social, and religious responsibilities. If these symptoms become severe Major Depression may develop. Source for symptoms of depression is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV, APA.

If a person’s self-worth is significantly impacted leading to thoughts of hurting himself, this needs to be addressed as soon as possible. A person’s ability to concentrate deteriorates to the point were he can not function, is an indicator of Major Depression.