Learn about Depression in adults symptoms from Consumer Reports Health.

Depression in adults

What are the symptoms of depression?

Being depressed is more than feeling down for a day or two. It usually goes much deeper and affects the things you do as well as how you feel. You might find it hard to cope with everyday life.

You could have depression if you:

Source:
American Psychiatric Association.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV).
4th edition. American Psychiatric Association, Washington DC, USA; 2000.

Feel sad most of the time (you might feel a little better in the evenings). You might be tearful a lot of the time
Lose interest in doing things you used to enjoy
Find it harder to make decisions
Feel you can't cope with things the way you used to
Have no energy
Feel restless and agitated
Lose your appetite and lose weight (or the reverse happens and you put on weight)
Have trouble sleeping. For example, it might take you one to two hours to get to sleep, and then you wake up earlier than usual
Lose interest in sex
Lose your self-confidence
Feel useless or worthless
Feel guilty for no reason
Avoid other people
Feel irritable
Feel worse at a particular time each day, usually in the morning
Think about suicide.

You don't need to have all of these symptoms to be diagnosed with depression. But if you have five or six, it might mean you have depression. If you think you might have depression, you should talk with your doctor. There are treatments that can help.

Sources for the information on this page:

American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV).4th edition. American Psychiatric Association, Washington DC, USA; 2000.

This information was last updated on Apr 09, 2009

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
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