Getting Help with Depression

These feelings may be present for an extended period of time:

• Overeating or poor appetite
• Difficulty sleeping or wanting to sleep all the time
• Feeling as though you never have enough energy
• Difficulty concentrating
• Chronic low self-esteem, pessimism or sadness

A more acute illness with symptoms of minor depression and some of these additional symptoms:

• Loss of pleasure in activities you used to enjoy
• Significant weight loss or gain
• Feeling worthless or guilty
• Hopelessness, thinking things will never get better
• A sense of being overwhelmed by sadness or of "going crazy"
• Hard to explain, sometimes frightening, physical symptoms
• Thought of death or suicide

A reaction to lack of daylight. Symptoms can mimic those of minor or major depression. Occasionally people may experience this during the summer. Causes of Seasonal Affective Disorder for both winter and summer include the following:

• Changes in light levels and length of daylight intervals
• Changes in ambient temperature
• Changes in humidity
• Disrupted schedules
• Body image issues, particularly during "swimsuit season"
• Financial strain from vacations