As of: February 12, 2024, 9:52 a.m
By: Natalie Hull-Deichsel
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A serious mental illness can occur if at least five signs become noticeable over two weeks.
Two main symptoms are crucial.
1 / 10Feeling petrified – this is how people with depression often describe their mental and physical state, according to the “German Depression Aid and Suicide Prevention Foundation”.
Depression is often accompanied by a very depressed, depressed mood, which is considered a main symptom.
Some sufferers also describe a feeling of inner emptiness and an inability to perceive their own emotions, including negative feelings.
© BDS/Imago
2 / 10People who suffer from depression lose interest in activities and things that were once meaningful.
Hobbies, professional activities, leisure activities or social activities with family and friends no longer bring them joy.
Due to the “inner emptiness”, as those affected often describe it, interest in previously important things is lost.
Joylessness and general disinterest are the second possible main symptom of depression.
© ArtmannWitte/Imago
3 / 10Decreased self-esteem, low self-confidence, coupled with thoughts like “It’s my fault for everything” are noticeable in many people suffering from depression.
Those affected often turn away from those around them because they assume they are a burden to family members, friends or colleagues.
© Ute Grabowsky/photothek.net/Imago
4 / 10Exhaustion and tiredness increasingly determine everyday life.
During depression, those affected often feel literally listless, which makes it difficult for them to motivate themselves.
Familiar activities such as work and even simple everyday tasks, such as shopping or tidying up, can become a major challenge, quickly become exhausting and sometimes even remain unfinished.
Making decisions is also difficult: those affected no longer have the feeling that they are doing the right thing.
© nitor/Imago
5 / 10Difficulty concentrating and reduced attention can also indicate depression.
Those affected can no longer perceive their surroundings properly and forget things that have recently been said or happened, so that it is not uncommon for themselves or those in their immediate surroundings to initially consider Alzheimer's dementia.
© Zoonar.com/Yuri Arcurs/Imago
6 / 10Older people can also develop depression.
Reasons and causes are varied here too.
It can be seen across all age groups that the appetite and feeling of hunger of people who suffer from mental illness change.
The joy of eating is literally lost.
The result is often weight loss.
However, the opposite can also occur and those affected develop cravings.
© Photographee.eu/Imago
7 / 10Sleeping disorders can have various causes and are often a typical side effect of depression.
People with this mental illness often cannot get to sleep, cannot stay asleep or wake up early - in many cases this leads to a spiral of negative thoughts and worries.
© Zoonar/IMAGO
8 / 10People who suffer from depression go through periods of despair and hopelessness, especially about their future.
Mental illness is increasingly accompanied by the strong feeling of being unable to get out of the situation.
© HalfPoint Images/Imago
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9 / 10During depression, those affected can also suffer from severe inner restlessness, which makes it difficult for them to relax.
You feel driven and may exhibit hyperactive behaviors such as constantly pacing back and forth.
On the other hand, movements or speech can also slow down.
© Science Photo Library/Imago
10 / 10 “What if I just weren’t there anymore” – these or similar thoughts always come back to people with depression, especially when it is already severe.
The desire to escape a situation that is perceived as hopeless and hopeless, even to the point of considering harm to oneself, arises more and more.
© Alberto Menendez/Imago
Depression is one of the most common and often underestimated illnesses.
Around eight to ten percent or around five to six million of adult Germans aged 18 to 79 develop a unipolar or persistent depressive disorder over the course of a year.
The number of unreported cases is probably significantly higher.
More and more children and young people are also being treated for mental illnesses - 15 to 24 year olds are most often treated for depression - according to the
Federal Statistical Office
.
The disease can ultimately affect anyone at any age: children, older people, working people and women during or after pregnancy.
Depression can present itself in various forms, from mild forms that occur seasonally to severe depression, which can be accompanied by feelings of hopelessness and the desire to harm yourself, according to the
German Depression Aid and Suicide Prevention Foundation
.
Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression compared to men.
The symptoms also differ between the two sexes.
Around ten symptoms are known, two of which are considered the main symptoms.
A simple two-question depression test can provide valuable information about when people should seek help.
This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It in no way replaces a visit to the doctor. Our editorial team is not allowed to answer individual questions about medical conditions.