Depression (major depressive disorder, or MDD) is a common and serious mental health condition that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function.

Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include:

• Feeling sad or having a depressed mood

• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed

• Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting

• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much

• Loss of energy or increased fatigue

• Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., inability to sit still, pacing, handwringing) or slowed movements or speech (these actions must be severe enough to be observable by others)

• Feeling worthless or guilty

• Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions

• Thoughts of death or suicide

Symptoms must last at least two weeks and must represent a change in your previous level of functioning for a diagnosis of depression.

PHQ-9 is commonly used to screen for depression. Click on the link to take the assessment.

 

https://www.apa.org/depression-guideline/patient-health-questionnaire.pdf

 

If your score is higher than 5, give me a call and let’s talk about it! Depression is treatable and we can navigate through this journey together!