Is your loved one depressed?

We all get the blues now and then. But depression is different. It is more than a passing mood. Depression is actually a biochemical imbalance in the brain. It's not something you can just "snap out of." It requires treatment.

In general, there are nine symptoms of depression. If a person experiences four or more of these symptoms every day, for most of the day, over a two-week period, medical professionals would call it "major depression":

• Feelings of sadness, which may or may not include crying spells
• Loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities
• Changes in appetite leading to a 5% weight loss or weight gain
• Slowed speech, slowed reactions, slowed movements
• Changes in sleep habits
• Confused or distracted thinking
• Fatigue
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Frequent thoughts of death, dying, or suicide

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