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Depression is a disease that affects
mood, thoughts and behavior. |
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| Major Depressive Disorder |
Look for these signs and symptoms: |
| Major depressive disorder is the most common mood disorder of adolescents and young adults. Generally, the illness develops over a period of weeks, and the symptoms gradually come over the adolescent one by one until the full-blown syndrome is present. It can last for several months. Symptoms can range from mild to the more severe cases that affect social, school and home life. |
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Loss of interest in activities that a person
likes to do |
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Sadness or feeling irritable |
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Feeling guilty, hopeless, restless |
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Feeling angry, tense or worrying a lot |
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Low energy |
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Withdrawal from friends and family |
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Talking about death, suicide |
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Difficulty concentrating |
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Unexplained drop in grades |
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Drug and/or alcohol abuse |
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Changes in appetite, appearance |
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Weight loss, weight gain |
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Headaches |
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Worsening of painful conditions |
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Sleeping too much or too little |
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| Bipolar Disorder |
Look for these signs and symptoms: |
| Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a medical illness that causes shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function. Different from the normal ups and downs that everyone experiences, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe.
Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings from overly "high," and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. The periods of highs and lows are called episodes of mania and depression. |
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Dramatic mood swings |
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Grandiosity |
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Feeling of heightened concentration |
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Racing thoughts |
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Decreased need for sleep |
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Increased energy level |
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Erratic appetite |
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Increased sexual feelings |
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Grandiose delusions |
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Hallucinations |
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| Dysthymic Disorder |
Look for these signs and symptoms: |
| Dysthymic disorder is characterized by “bad mood.” It is different from major depressive disorder in that it is a low-grade depressive syndrome that persists over a period of many months, sometimes for years. It can remain undetected for a long time. The symptoms are not as dramatic as major depressive disorder, but it can be just as dangerous. Dysthymic disorder has been diagnosed in children as young as 5. |
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Negative personality |
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Pessimistic |
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Gloomy |
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Down mood |
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Feeling unloved |
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Feeling left out |
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