Symptoms
Doctors consider diagnosing someone with "major depression" if that person has experienced most or all of the following symptoms nearly every day for at least two weeks:
- Depressed or irritable mood.
- Loss of interest in activities you enjoy.
- Change in appetite or a change in weight (either a loss or a gain).
- Sleeping too much or not enough.
- Agitated actions or slowed-down actions.
- Lack of energy.
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt.
- Difficulty in making decisions or concentrating.
- Thoughts of death or suicide
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Note that everyone has symptoms like these occasionally without having "major depression." Some people say they are depressed when they are sad about life events or when they are mourning a loss. It is when the symptoms interfere with daily life that the diagnosis of "major depression" can be made.