Depression is a common but serious illness that can disrupt a person's daily life. It is a mood disorder that can interfere with a person's normal functioning and affects not just the person but those that surround him.

Public awareness of depression has been raised in the last couple of years and intensive research into the illness has resulted in the development of medication, therapies and other methods to treat people with this disabling condition.

Despite all the publicity, there are still some people who are not aware that depression is an illness. A probable reason is that we often use terms like sad and depressed interchangeably. But clinical depression is not just a fleeting mood it is a medical condition that has many physical and emotional symptoms. Here are some questions that you should ask yourself in order to find out if you are depressed:

One of the most noticeable signs of depression is a change in weight and appetite. I bet you've felt it before. Those low moments when you just can't think of food. Or maybe you've gone through a binging spree with your pals Ben and Jerry. You've probably enlisted McDonald's help to get you out of that slump. The only difference between feeling low and being depressed is that you experience this feeling for a longer period of time. And, people who are depressed tend to gain or lose a lot of weight, depending on the change in their eating habits. Usually, a person who is depressed tend to gain or lose more than 5% of his body weight in a month.

In order to know if you are depressed, you should also measure the amount of sleep per day. Are you getting enough sleep? Do you spend the night restless pacing your room or stirring on your bed, counting a billion sheeps? Or do you find yourself doing nothing but sleep? People who are depressed tend to lack sleep or have too much of it.

Although you may hate doing some of your daily activities, it doesn't mean that you are depressed. Of course, we're not talking about chores or work. We're talking about that part of the day that you love so much. If you no longer enjoy a single activity in your day, not even the one that you used to look forward to, then you should consider depression as one of the reasons why. When a person is depressed, even past times and fun activities do not have any appeal.

Another symptom of depression that you should watch out for is loss of energy. People who are depressed tend to feel weak and are easily tired. Even the smallest task can sap out all their energy. It's like the gravity of the earth has increased by a hundred times. And, every movement that they do requires a lot of strength.

Most depressed individuals experience headaches, back aches, abdominal pain and aching joints. Some of them even find themselves with diarrhea or constipation. If you happen to get these symptoms frequently then perhaps you should consider depression as one of the causes.

Depressed individuals have a lot of angst. They are often easily frustrated or irritated. And, because they tend to be short-tempered, they snap at everyone around them. If you find yourself biting off the heads of everyone that you run into, perhaps you should start observing yourself. If this feeling of anger and anxiousness doesn't go away the next day then you need to have yourself checked up for depression.

Most people who are depressed have a very negative outlook of life. They tend to believe that everything is at its worst and has no hope of becoming better. They feel that nothing in their lives will ever improve.

People who are depressed tend to be overcritical of themselves. They also have intense feelings of worthlessness and guilt. In fact, they tend to lash at themselves or blame themselves for every wrong thing that happens in their lives.

Another sign that a person is depressed is the way he moves or does things. Although most of them tend to feel sluggish, some do become keyed up. Perhaps it's because they are trying too hard to hide what they are feeling by sounding too cheerful or enthusiastic.

Depressed individuals tend to have a hard time focusing on things. They also have the tendency to be indecisive and absent-minded. Even worse, some of them become out of touch with reality.

These symptoms are just representatives of the symptoms that a person suffering from depression has been observed to have. Although the diagnosis of depression is based on these symptoms, we have to consider that people who have this illness do not exhibit the same manifestations of the illness. The severity, duration and frequency should be considered during the diagnosis. The severity of a person's illness may range from minor suffering to disability. So, if you feel bothered after reading this article, getting a diagnosis from a psychiatrist is the best thing to do. He would also be able to suggest ways of treating your problem.