Just The Blues? Or Clinical Depression?

Here are the symptoms to look out for

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

In my blog I’ve talked a lot about depression, but I’ve never explained the symptoms of depression. It might make it hard to figure out if you or someone you know has it too. As the term depression is so widely misused these days, I want to put this right.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a trained psychiatrist, psychologist, or counsellor. The information in this post is not intended to replace medical advice or give you a positive diagnosis of depression. If you suspect you may be depressed, always see a trained professional to be officially diagnosed and, much more importantly, get the help you need. The information here is based on my own experiences of depression and how it felt for me. Not everyone may feel the same way. It does not mean you aren’t depressed. This post is for information only.

What Is Depression?

Depression is not feeling a bit down; it’s not feeling sad because you’ve been through a rough few days; it’s not even grief at the loss of a loved one. All of these things can lead to depression, but they are not depression in and of themselves. This is how the NHS website explains what depression is:

“Depression is more than simply feeling unhappy or fed up for a…