Psychology Blog

Although it is very easy for us, human beings, to fall into tears, misery, and agony, that does not necessarily mean that we are in a depression. Medically speaking, depression is assumed to be the decreased traffic of serotonin in the brain. So, that means it is an illness and it can be cured.

Having said that, being miserable does not always mean that you are in depression. Here are some basic guidelines that you can test yourself briefly, whether you are suffering from depression or not:

• difficulty in sleeping, sleep disorders: if you sleep less than usual or more than usual, and if this continues longer than two weeks, this may be an indicator of a depression.
• abnormally increasing or abnormally decreasing sexual desire: if you feel that you need less sex than usual or you need more sex than usual and if this continues longer than two weeks, this may be an indicator of a depression.
• abnormally increase or decrease in appetite, if this continues longer than two weeks, this may be an indicator of a depression too.

Apart form this basic, mini test, you may feel miserable and depressive after a loss of a loved one, an end of a romantic relationship, a financial loss and alike, that doesn’t mean you are in a depression medically. So, that doesn’t mean there is something wrong with your flow of serotonin in the brain.

Depression is rather like diabetis, generally, people suffering from depression can be cured by medical help and talk therapy, and their depression may occur again in the future. It is medical. It can be cured. Not every misery and agony is depression, although they may lead to depression.

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 11th, 2006 at 8:22 am and is filed under Uncategorized.