Symptoms of depression can appear in everyone on the planet. No matter what gender or culture a person comes from, they can still suffer from a depressive disorder. Even medical professionals need to remember that depression affects everyone differently.
For example, a woman who has just had a child will show depression differently than an older man. If one takes these differences into account, the symptoms can become easier to spot.
One group of people who will show various symptoms of depression are teenagers. Teen depression is a serious illness that can lead to suicide if not detected and treated correctly.
Parents need to be fully aware of how a teenager displays depression. A child may seem overly hostile or complain of unexplained aches and pains, such as an ongoing headache or stomach ache.
If the child is taken to the doctor and nothing physically wrong can be found, a parent should ensure that the doctor performs a complete mental exam. Parents need to stay involved in a child’s life to make sure depression is kept at bay.
An age group that is growing in the world today and that more frequently experiences depressive symptoms is that of the elderly. As adults grow older, they often have a hard time coping with what’s going on around them.
As they age, they may be losing loved ones, dealing with limited independence, and increasing health problems. One thing to remember is that this disease is not the norm when it comes to aging. Complaints about your physical health will usually take precedence over your mental health issues, and this can lead to symptoms of depression going unnoticed.
If a person has ongoing health problems, then a doctor should be seen. In the elderly especially, early diagnosis and treatment are very important to prevent suicide.
When looking at the various symptoms of depression, another important factor to consider is whether the sufferer is male or female. Women are twice as likely to suffer from these types of diseases as men. Women will experience symptoms such as guilt, oversleeping, overeating, and weight gain.
Men, on the other hand, have had more difficulty expressing their emotional problems, so their symptoms will be completely different from women. Men complain of fatigue, loss of interest in work or hobbies, and may feel a surge of anger that can lead to violence. Due to the different symptoms, the treatment of this mental illness varies according to gender.
By knowing the symptoms of depression that different groups of people show, the family and medical professionals can better deal with the depressive disorder. Depression is a very treatable disease if detected early.
If a person with the disease does not seek help, suicide can be a devastating result. People with depression do not have to suffer in silence.