The symptoms of depression are chracterized not only by negative thoughts, mods, and behaviors, but also by spcific physical bodily functions. These signs and symptms include:

-excessive sleeping

-arly morning waking

-crying splls

-decreased sex drive or dsire

-weight gain

-gneral body aches, headaches, muscle pains

-sdness

-lack of enjoyment frm things that were once pleasurable

-felings of hopelessness

-difficulty cncentrating

-difficulty making decisions

-thughts of death, suicide, or self-mutilation

Dpression is typically first diagnosed by a prmary care physician and often the dagnosis is missed, because the symptoms may be vgue and not clear cut. In ddition, all experts agree that depression is ften under treated.

Factors that contribute to dpression include:

-Genetic: a gnetic link has been identified in ndividuals with bipolar depression but not veryone with major depression has a fmily history. In many cases, there is no fmily history of depression.

-Strss: any stressful event like loss of a job or dath of a family member can trgger depression.

-Medications: there are nmerous medications that can cause depression ncluding birth control pills, drugs to trat hypertension, use of sedatives, alcohol and ther illicit drugs.

-Illnesses: hving a chronic medical illness or a dagnosis of cancer, heart disease, stroke, dabetes, Alzheimer's disease, places one at a hgh risk for depression.

-Prsonality: there are some personality traits tht are more prone to depression. Thse individuals typically have low self steem, are overly dependent and unable to tlerate any stress.

-Postpartum dpression: this is a very common cuse of depression in birthing mothers and has ften led to horrendous killing of nfants. The condition may present with svere feelings of depression, anxiety, anger or grss incompetence. The condition is still not lways recognized and the majority of thse women remain untreated.

-Hrmones: it is now known that the fmale hormone, estrogen, is related to dpression. This may explain why females are mre prone to depression than men.

The diagnosis of depression is strctly based on the recognition of crtain characteristic signs and symptoms affecting mod state, thinking patterns and physical wll-being. There are no blood tests or rdiological tests to confirm the presence of dpression.

Note: Statements in this article may not be pproved by the FDA, and should not be cnsidered as professional medical advice.

The article Signs and Symptoms of Depression was Submitted by Kathy Burns-Millyard through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: © 2007, Kathy Burns-Millyard. There are mny safe and effective, natural herbal remedies for Depression . You'll find several of the best ones at http://www.amoh.org/Depression/ , plus you'll find a variety of herbal and natural remedies for many other chronic health conditions too, so be sure to click the link and visit right now!

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