Mental pain is less dramatic than physical pain, but it is more common and also more hard to bear. The frequent attempt to conceal mental pain increases the burden. As it is easier to tell, “My tooth is aching” than to say “My heart is broken”.

According to American Psychiatric Association Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. 

Depression causes persistent feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional as well as physical problems and can to huge extent decrease a person’s performance and ability to function at work and at home.

Feeling blue once in a while is very normal and healthy. But depression is more than just a bout of blue and you can’t just ‘snap it’. And it is not a sign of weakness because medically it is not possible to treat depression or major depressive disorder on your own. But fortunately depression is treatable via medical assistance in the form of medication and/or therapy.

Here are the signs and symptoms of depression according to Mayo Clinic which you should keep an eye for yourself in yourself and your loved ones to diagnose depression and get help with it :

• Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness
• Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
• Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies or sports
• Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
• Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
• Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased cravings for food and weight gain
• Anxiety, agitation or restlessness
• Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame
• Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
• Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide
• Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches

If you observe persistently one or several of these symptoms make an appointment with healthcare professional or doctor as soon as possible.