Depression is characterized by mood constriction (loss of capacity for joy or sadness, loss of emotional resonance, ie the patient is not by encouragement illuminable), driven inhibition, with or without agitation, thought block, sleep disturbances.
These sleep disorders are expressions of a disturbed 24-hour rhythm. Often the patient is in the early morning hours so poor that he can not sleep on. If this form of the disturbed chronobiological rhythm before, feels the patient in the late afternoon and evening each player, then starts up a few hours after midnight, the depressive symptoms at full strength again.
Other depression symptoms may include reduced its excessive concern for the future, possibly over-emphasized concern in the area of the body (see hypochondriasis), feelings of hopelessness, inferiority, helplessness, and social self-isolation, self-denigration and excessive guilt feelings, to fatigue, concentration and decision-making skills, thinking is slowed down (thought block), senseless thoughts circles, to disorders of subjective time.
There are often irritability and anxiety. Negative thoughts and impressions are not over-valued and positive aspects adequately. The feeling of life is concentrated, which can lead to loss of interest in the environment. Nor can the sexual interest expire or decrease (loss of libido).
With a major depressive episode may be the sick person be inhibited in his drive so that it no longer simple activities that can do such as bathing, shopping or washing. Sleep is not refreshing, getting up in the morning caused problems (daily fluctuations). In a rare disease variant, it is the opposite: It does a so-called “Abendtief on”, ie increase the symptoms in the evening and fall asleep until morning is difficult, if possible.
Depressive disorders are associated with physical symptoms, so-called Health disorders such as anorexia, insomnia, weight loss, weight gain (“grief bacon”), often with pain in very different parts of the body, most typically with a painful feeling of pressure on the chest. Depending on the severity of depression, they may be associated with latent or acute suicidality.
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