Depression can be defined as a state of mind characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a despondent lack of activity. In the fields of psychology depression refers to a state of low mood and aversion to activity.

If you see the statistics of depression about 15% of the population of most developed countries suffers severe depression. According to Australian Government statistics, everyone, will at some time in their life be affected by depression either by their own or someone else’s.

Depression has both psychological and physical signs in the person. Here are few psychological symptoms of depression:

• Sadness or hopelessness
• Loss of interest in daily activities
• A profound inability to experience pleasure in activities that formerly were enjoyed
• Thoughts and feelings of worthlessness
• Inappropriate guilt or regret, helplessness, hopelessness, and self-hatred
• Poor concentration, memory and decision power
• Suicidal tendencies
• Behaving agitated and immoral
• Withdrawal from social situations and activities

When person is in depression, he also has physical signs. Here are few physical manifestations of depression:

• Insomnia or hypersomnia
• Loss of appetite resulting weight loss, although increased appetite and weight gain occasionally occur
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Indigestion
• Reduced sex drive
• Restlessness

Depression Symptoms in Men:

• Every year more than 6 million are diagnosed with this common mental disorder.
• The diagnosis of the signs of depression in men is hard because of a number of factors.
• It is hard for an individual to accept that he needs the help of a doctor to get out of his own issues.
• Moreover, the social stigmas associated with depression patients does not allow the potential patients of depression to seek treatment early.
• When the severity of the problems increases, the person has to suffer social isolation and indifferent treatment from people surrounding him.
• Such experiences convert mere signs of depression to full fledged disorder traits.
• Winning the trust, providing hope and finally presenting choices for a new life through counselling from the loved ones and friends can reduce signs of depression to bare minimum in men.

Depression Symptoms in Women:

• Women are prone to depression more than men for several reasons.
• The complex structure and various changes which take place inside their body at different stages of their lives is responsible primarily for signs of depression in women.
• According to a statistics, 15 percent of women take antidepressants in their lifetime to seek relief.
• Unfortunately, the powerful chemicals used in these potent medicines are partially effective in their task and cause side effects like insomnia which is in turn related to depression directly.
• Emergence of obesity and type 2 diabetes which are primarily fatal life-style disorders have raised the statistics of depression patients in women further in the recent times.