Signs of Depression: Untold Suffering

More than 17 million people in the United States alone are affected by symptoms of depression, but the signs aren’t always clear. In fact, nearly two-thirds of people with symptoms or signs of depression never seek treatment, according to WebMD.

Though potentially debilitating, depression can be treated successfully; the key lies in pinpointing the signs of depression early. Learn how the diagnostic process is being transformed by functional brain imaging technology (SPECT) and improved mental health awareness.

How to Detect Depression

Depression isn’t like most physical ailments — it doesn’t occur suddenly or out of nowhere. In fact, if you’re not looking for symptoms of depression, they’re easy to miss. Typically, signs of depression can be found by looking at three distinct areas: behavior, emotions, and the brain.

Emotional Changes

Depression causes severe emotional despair, which affects an individual’s ability to function. Common emotional signs include:

  • Chronic sadness lasting two weeks or more. Between feelings of sadness, loneliness, and ruminating thoughts, those experiencing depression are significantly impacted by emotional changes.
  • Difficulty concentrating. When depression hits, it can be difficult to concentrate on work, school, home, or personal life. Often, people diagnosed with depression struggle with multi-tasking or maintaining optimum work performance without treatment.
  • Marked increase in irritability. Coping with triggers both small and large is very difficult for depressed individuals, and may increase irritability.

READ MORE: Do You or Someone You Know Suffer from Depression? 

Behavioral Changes

Often motivated by emotional or mental triggers, changes in behavior can be observed in individuals experiencing depression, including:

  • Impulsive or irrational behavior. Taking unnecessary risks, engaging in dangerous situations, or making quick, irrational decisions can be a sign of depression.
  • Change in appetite or sleep. Fluctuations in appetite and sleep are markers of depressed mood in both children and adults.
  • Disruption of daily activities. Failure to perform daily activities, such as cleaning, bathing, or cooking, may indicate depression.
  • Frequent crying or self-harm. People experiencing depression may have frequent episodes of crying, and are more likely to self-harm.

Physical Changes

 Some of the most recent discoveries involve changes in the body and brain due to depression, including:

  • Perceived aches and pains. A common complaint of those with depression is bodily pain. Though a physiological cause cannot be found, depressed individuals often experience body aches.
  • Lack of energy or motivation. For many with depression, their “get up and go” seems to disappear. Accompanied by a lack of interest in previously enjoyed activities, decreased motivation can lead to isolation.
  • Neurobiological differences. When compared with those without depression, depressed individuals experience changes in the brain that can only be seen using SPECT brain imaging. A new way to pinpoint which neurological systems contribute to symptoms, functional brain scanning technology offers clinicians insight into an individual’s unique experience of depression as it occurs in the brain.

Using Technology to Diagnose Depression

The unfortunate truth is many individuals receive an incorrect psychiatric diagnosis, which can lead to months or years of ineffective (and often costly) treatment. Symptoms and signs of depression can mimic other conditions — such as bipolar disorder, ADHD and seasonal affective disorder — and can also vary from person to person, which makes a proper diagnosis without the use of functional brain imaging very difficult. In fact, a study in the American Journal of Psychiatry indicated that the misdiagnosis of depression is widespread and that even psychiatrists get the diagnosis right less than half the time.

Now, technology is being used to refine psychiatric diagnoses and enhance treatment outcomes. With functional brain imaging technology (SPECT), CereScan can identify significant changes in the brain that contribute to symptoms of depression.

If you or someone you know has signs of depression, contact CereScan to speak with a professional today.