What Is Depression?: Southwest Family Medicine Associates: Family Medicine Physicians

How Do I Know If I Have Depression?

According to the DSM-5, a manual doctors use to diagnose mental disorders, you have depression when you have five or more of these symptoms for at least 2 weeks:

A depressed mood during most of the day, especially in the morning

You feel tired or have a lack of energy almost every day.

You feel worthless or guilty almost every day.

You have a hard time focusing, remembering details, and making decisions.

You can’t sleep or you sleep too much almost every day.

You have almost no interest or pleasure in many activities nearly every day.

You think often about death or suicide (not just a fear of death).

You feel restless or slowed down.

You’ve lost or gained weight.

While these symptoms are common, not everyone with depression will have the same ones. How severe they are, how often they happen, and how long they last can vary.

Your symptoms may also happen in patterns. For example, depression may come with a change in seasons (a condition formerly called seasonal affective disorder).

Can Depression Have Physical Symptoms?

It's not uncommon for people with depression to have physical signs of the condition. They may include joint pain, back pain, digestive problems, sleep trouble, and appetite changes. You might have slowed speech and movements, too. The reason is that brain chemicals linked to depression, specifically serotonin and norepinephrine, play a role in both mood and pain.

SOURCE:

www.webmd.com, https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/what-is-depression#1

Ahh - Ahh - Achoo! Alleviating Allergies

Serving as the 6th leading cause of chronic conditions among adults, it is no surprise that more than 50 million Americans experience various types of allergies each year. In order to learn how to treat and manage your allergies, it’s important to understa

Men’s Sexual Health

1 in 10 men suffer from Erectile Dysfunction at some point in their lifetime. As a result: Poor sexual health tends to affect your overall quality of life, and well being.

Women’s Sexual Health

At least 40% of all women suffer from some form of sexual dysfunction at some point in their lives, and female sexual dysfunction can happen at any stage in one’s life.

Kissable Deals

This month our office is offering an amazing laser deal with a package of 4 Fotona 4D Laser treatments on sale for only $1,800.

Have Heart

February is American Heart Month and this is the perfect time to talk about ways to be heart-healthy. Cardiovascular health has never been more imperative, as those with poor heart health can find themselves at an increased risk of COVID-19.

Let’s talk about The Big C

Once upon a time, Cervical Cancer was the leading cost of death for women in the United States. Fortunately, in recent years cervical cancer cases and the deaths resulting from it, have dropped significantly.