DEPRESSION

Depression, or clinical depression, is a common and serious mood disorder. Those who suffer from depression experience persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness and lose interest in activities they once enjoyed. Aside from the emotional problems caused by depression, individuals can also present with a physical symptom such as chronic pain or digestive issues. To be diagnosed with depression, the following symptoms must be present for at least two weeks.

• Depressed mood most of the day, and every day.
• Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day.
• Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain, or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day.
• A slowing down of thought and a reduction of physical movement (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down).

• Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day.
• Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day.
• Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideationwithout a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.
• The individual has clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

• Eat right.
• Get plenty of exercise

• Avoid alcohol and certain processed foods
• Sleep well