Depression is quite common condition. It is a problem in Your brain chemistry. There are hormones that are needed for the brain to function normally and with depression the hormones aren't acting the way they should.

There are good treatments to all levels of depression. If You think You suffer from depression, You would want to contact Your doctor!

Warning signals of depression

1. Less enjoyment from usual activities
2. Disappointment with yourself
3. Hopelessness
4. Irritability
5. Sleeping difficulties

Common symptoms of depression

Other symptoms that might suggest that You suffer from depression are:

1. Self-criticism (overly so)
2. Difficulties completing work
3. Fatigue
4. Difficulties to concentrate
5. Difficulties to remember things
6. Difficulties to make decisions

7. Lost interest to Your partner
8. FeelingYourself inadequate
9. Feeling guilty with no apparent reason
10. Blaming Yourself
11. Thinking that it goes wrong anyway if I start

These are general symptoms and You may or may not have them all. Having multiple symptoms of this list doesn't necessarily mean that You are depressed. You doctor will know after You have met him/her!

Some known treatments

As mentioned above there are ways to treat this condition. Depression can be treated with medication and therapy. Medication helps for sleeplessness and mood. Therapy aims to find what's basically wrong and helps You to overcome it.

Types of medication are various as are the therapies. Your doctor has the competense to choose the best for You. You might want to ask about experimental treatments also, if none of the common treatments help and Your condition is severe.

Rule of a thumb is that the time it takes to recover from depression is the same as it took to suffer from it. So, if You have had depression for one year, it takes a year to recover fully.

How to tell if just unhappy

You could be just unhappy if You have only few of those symptoms. Also You might want to clarify Yourself excactly what You are unhappy about and then remove/minimize that factor. Does that bring happiness back to Your life?

^{(Please, note that I'm not a doctor and I'm not trying to tell You what to do . I just share the information I have on this subject)}

There are four main types of medication for depression. They are called antidepressants.

1. Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)
2. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
3. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
4. Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)

The first two are very powerful drugs and typically they are not used as the first medication. Both may have strong side effects and/or dietary restrictions.

The latter two are newer drugs. SSRIs alter the amount of serotonin in the brain. SNRIs increase availability of serotonin and norepinephrine.