Depression isn’t just a short period of feeling sad. For more than 16 million Americans, major depressive disorder (MDD) is a fact of life, the leading cause of disability for those between 15 and 44. It’s a medical condition that often requires medical treatment.

Jon Deam, MD and the team at Dr. Jon Deam are depression specialists, experts at helping you find your path back to a balance of mental and emotional wellness. Like many other conditions, treatment can lessen the duration and severity of depression, yet many people who could benefit hesitate to seek help.

Signs of depression

While sadness is a symptom of depression, it doesn’t begin and end with your mood. True MDD can affect the way you act and think too. You may start to lose enjoyment in things that once gave you pleasure. Your sleep cycle could be affected, and you may sleep less or more than you once did. You may gain or lose appetite.

MDD may be as unique as you are, and often it may be up to you to determine when it’s time to seek medical care for your condition. Lab tests often reveal little about mood disorders, and Dr. Jon relies on an interpersonal approach that balances your medical and emotional history, test results, and personal observation to diagnose your condition.

One way to know it’s time to speak with Dr. Jon is to honestly answer some questions about yourself and your feelings of sadness. These questions include:

Does depression interfere with my life?

School marks or job performance could be slipping, or routine tasks may now seem overwhelming. If you can’t care for yourself or your family, or if your sadness keeps you from studying or doing a job, then it’s a problem, and you need medical assistance.

Has my appetite changed?

Depression can lead to appetite changes. You may lose interest in food, or you might find comfort in overeating. Preparing meals may seem overwhelming, and you may turn to convenience and fast foods, or you might pass on eating completely.

Am I more irritable than normal?

When you start to take your frustrations out on others, it could be a sign that MDD is getting out of hand. Irritability is a natural consequence of the overwhelmed feeling that pervades your life.

Has my sleep cycle changed?

It may become harder to fall asleep at night, or you may take frequent naps and have trouble getting out of bed in the morning. Some people combine all these symptoms and, once again, the side effects of these symptoms interfere with daily tasks.

Perhaps most of all, there’s a pervasive sense that something is wrong. Contact Dr. Jon Deam in San Diego, online or by phone, to discuss your symptoms with Dr. Jon. He’ll take the time you need to work through depression with an approach that emphasizes wellness therapy and life coaching, adding medication when it’s appropriate for your care. There’s a solution to depression, so arrange your consultation now.

Author Dr. Jon Deam