Physical symptoms of depression?

Question

I have been sad, cry a lot and am really homesick. People have told me that I seem less myself lately. I have been really stressed with work and my typically irregular period has skipped a month. I have also been very nauseous and vomiting. Should I see a doctor immediately and do these signs seem typical of depression?

I also meant to mention that I have been waking frequently in the middle of the night.

Answer 1

Clearly you're experiencing stress, but you recognize it so that's a first step. Make sure to spend some quiet time with prayer or meditation, have at least one good frienship, eat and rest the best way you know how, and examine your life for ways you can change for the better. The doctor will put you on anti-depressants without even thinking. See if you can learn to rearrange your thinking and lifestyle first before you resort to drugs. If you are experiencing some short term stresses in life, this too shall pass. If it begins to make you feel suicidal, dependent on alcohol or illegal drugs, or makes you withdraw, then you might need therapy or meds.

Answer 2

I am answering this question not as a Dr. or an expert, but as a mom of a 16 year old daughter who went through depression earlier this year. I also battle depression but it's not severe. My daughter got to the point that she was either crying or sleeping, very moody and a total personality change. Some people would say that her symptoms were red flags for drugs, but that wasn't the case. We got her to a therapist and then to a psychiatrist who prescribed Prozac (the only FDA approved antidepressant for adolescents) and she came back to her old self. As far as physical symptoms, she still has waves of nausea when she gets stressed and I think that's just part of the whole problem. Stress can do a number on you physically. I strongly advise you to see a Dr. that can guide you toward a therapist and a psychiatrist, it saved my daughter's life to get her the right help. I myself can identify with the crying and homesickness, I find myself so sad sometimes because frankly I feel like the choices I made at 20 years old that put me where I am today were the wrong choices and I grieve over what could have been, I allow myself to live so much in the past that I'm afraid I'm forgetting to live now. It's not something I have a whole lot of control over. I probably need to see a therapist too but right now I need to get my daughter over this hump and then I'll work on myself. But I'm amazed at what Prozac did for my daughter and I'm hoping to find the same results for myself someday soon. Don't be afraid to get help, I think the whole world is on antidepressants and I think the stigma that used to be attached to them is all but over.

Answer 3

If you have depression, you may feel hopeless and sad or stop feeling pleasure from almost everything you do. You may feel “down in the dumps,” tearful, or discouraged. You may also be irritable or anxious or have low energy levels. The symptoms of depression are often subtle at first. It can be hard to recognize that symptoms may be connected and that you might have depression.

The two most significant symptoms of depression are:3

Sadness or hopelessness.
Loss of interest in or pleasure from most daily activities.
Other symptoms include:

Losing or gaining weight because of changes in appetite.
Sleeping too much or not enough.
Feeling restless and unable to sit still, or feeling that moving takes a great effort.
Feeling tired all the time.
Feeling unworthy or guilty without an obvious reason.
Having problems concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Thinking often about death or suicide.
If you have at least five of these symptoms for 2 weeks or longer, and one of the symptoms is either sadness or loss of interest, you are diagnosed with major depression. But, if you have fewer than five symptoms, you may still be depressed and need treatment.

If you have 2 to 4 symptoms for a period of at least 2 years (1 year for a child), you may have a long-term form of depression called dysthymic disorder (dysthymia).

Many women experience mood changes before menstruation. Physical and emotional premenstrual symptoms that interfere with relationships or responsibilities are known as premenstrual syndrome (PMS). However, women who have emotional and physical premenstrual symptoms that seriously interfere with daily life may have a type of depression known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). For more information see the topic Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS).

Answer 4

A depressive disorder is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts. It affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood. It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed or wished away. People with a depressive illness cannot merely "pull themselves together" and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who suffer from depression.

It’s not something that you have made up in your head. It’s more than just feeling "down in the dumps" or "blue" for a few days. It’s feeling "down" and "low" and "hopeless" for weeks at a time. more

Signs & Symptoms
Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed more Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex Decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain
Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts Restlessness, irritability Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain

Treatment
A variety of treatments including medications and short-term psychotherapies have proven effective for depression. It is best to consult your physician as you may need the assistance of a prescription medication.

Answer 5

Over the last five years I had begun to have increasingly withdraw into a downward spiral of depression..

But now with the method I can fully focus my energy and thoughts into a decisive line on how to make my life better constantly. And it works like magic! I'm beginning to attract people to me once again and things have just been looking up since then.

Helping you eliminate depression?

Answer 6

It can't hurt to see a doctor unless you let them give you electroshock therapy or DRUGS. See this site for new psychology which shows that whether you are depressed or not, you need happiness. Has link to another page with uplifting stories about severely depressed people getting better without DRUGS.

http://www.phifoundation.org/happiness.html

Answer 7

You are depressed!!! Go to the doctor and also ask for a referral for counseling. It made a big difference for me when I was feeling the exact same symptoms. The longer you wait to get help, the worse you are going to feel.

Answer 8

If you feel like you should be seen by a doctor, then definitely do that. Don't base your decision to seek medical/emotional help on what people HERE tell you. Sure, get some encouragement...but you know yourself best. I think you know you should go already.

Answer 9

Sounds to me like your pregnant and dealing with hormonal changes. Either way get to the doctor just to make sure.

Answer 10

you are very stressed out, and you need to know that stress is a disorder as well as depression, and it can harm your body, and yes you need to go see a Dr. if you feel that you are not getting better then seek help.