What are the early symptoms of depression?

Nowadays, the pressure of life and work is relatively high, so many people have become depressed. Early depression will manifest as varying degrees of low mood, always feeling bad and having no interest in anything. In severe cases, depression can lead to suicidal behavior in patients. Studies have found that the probability of suicide among people with depression is 30 times that of the general population. The early symptoms of depression include the following aspects:

1. Different levels of depression

It can range from mild bad mood to sadness, pessimism, and despair. The patient feels heavy-hearted, life is meaningless, he cannot be happy, he is depressed, his days are long like years, he is in unbearable pain and cannot extricate himself. Some patients may also experience anxiety, irritability, and nervousness.

2. Loss of interest is a common symptom of depression

Loss of enthusiasm and pleasure in previous life and work, and loss of interest in everything. They are unable to experience the joy of family life, are indifferent to their previous hobbies, often live alone, alienate themselves from relatives and friends, and avoid socializing. Patients often complain of "no emotions", "emotional numbness", and "can't be happy anymore".

3. Loss of energy

Feeling tired and weak, even simple tasks in life like washing, dressing, etc. are difficult and strenuous, and beyond one's ability. Patients often use terms like "mental breakdown" or "deflated ball" to describe their condition.

4. Low self-esteem:

Patients tend to excessively belittle their own abilities, and view their present, past and future with a critical, negative and negative attitude. They think this is not good and that is not right, and they describe themselves as worthless and their future as bleak. Strong sense of self-blame, guilt, uselessness, worthlessness, and helplessness. In severe cases, self-blame and hypochondriasis may occur.

5. The patient is in a state of marked, persistent, and widespread depression.

Difficulty concentrating, memory loss, slow thinking, blocked thinking, slow movements, but some patients show restlessness, anxiety, tension and agitation.

6. Negative and pessimistic:

They are extremely painful, pessimistic, and desperate inside, feeling that life is a burden and not worth lingering on, and seek relief through death, which may lead to strong suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

7. Physical or biological symptoms:

Depressed patients often have biological symptoms such as loss of appetite, weight loss, sleep disorders, sexual dysfunction and diurnal mood fluctuations. These symptoms are very common, but not present in every case. 

8. Loss of appetite and weight loss:

Most patients have symptoms of loss of appetite and poor digestion. Delicious food is no longer tempting. Patients have no appetite or find food tasteless, often accompanied by weight loss.

9. Sexual dysfunction:

Decreased libido may occur in the early stages of the disease, men may suffer from impotence, and female patients may experience loss of sexual desire.

10. Sleep Disorders:

A typical sleep disorder is waking up early, 2 to 3 hours earlier than usual, not being able to fall asleep again after waking up, and falling into a sad atmosphere.

11. Day and night changes:

The patient's mood changes from worse during the day to better at night. The patient may feel depressed in the early morning or morning, but gradually improve in the afternoon or evening and be able to have brief conversations and eat. The incidence of diurnal variation is about 50%.