Symptoms of Depression and Treatment

August 1, 2025

Everyone experiences depression from time to time. The reasons can be due to various life circumstances including losing a loved one, losing a job, losing the ability to do the things you once were able to do, being diagnosed with a serious health condition, along with a host of many other reasons. The symptoms of depression go beyond just feeling sad – it affects how you think, feel, and function in daily life. For depression to be diagnosed clinically, the depressed mood must be present for at least two weeks and cause significant impairment in one’s ability to function. Symptoms of depression can manifest physically, emotionally, and behaviorally. Some common emotional mental health symptoms in adults can include:

  • Persistent sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in things you used to enjoy
  • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
  • Irritability, frustration, or feeling restless
  • Difficulty concentrating, remembering things, or making decisions
  • Thoughts of death or suicide (even passive thoughts like “I wish I weren’t here”)

Physical symptoms that are common with depressed individuals include:

  • Low energy or fatigue — even small tasks feel exhausting
  • Sleep problems: insomnia or sleeping too much
  • Appetite or weight changes (eating too much or too little)
  • Slowed movements or speech, or the opposite – restlessness
  • Avoiding friends, family, or responsibilities
  • Use (or increased use) of substances such as alcohol or drugs.

In teens/adolescents, depression can look different and can show up as:

  • Irritability or anger more than sadness
  • Withdrawal from friends or school
  • Physical complaints (like stomach aches and headaches) without a medical cause

Men often exhibit anger/irritability instead of depressed mood. This is because of how males are raised in society. As children, boys often get the societal message that showing emotions like sadness or crying is a sign of weakness. Thus, depressed men will often exhibit anger or irritability instead of a depressed mood.  It has been said that often the angriest men are often the most depressed.

Depression can feel overwhelming, but it is treatable, and there are multiple paths toward feeling better. Here are some key steps you can consider – ideally in combination, not isolation:

  1. Talk to a Professional
  • A licensed therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist can help you explore what’s contributing to your depression and create a treatment plan. You might explore therapy (like EMDR, CBT or psychodynamic therapy), medication, or both. Many people need to try a few approaches to find what helps.
  1. Evaluate Medication Options
  • When appropriate antidepressants can help restore chemical balance if your depression is persistent or severe. A psychiatrist or your primary care doctor can prescribe and monitor medications.
  1. Routine & Small Habits
  • Depression often strips motivation, but structure helps. It is important to
    • Wake up and sleep at consistent times
    • Eat regularly, even if you don’t feel like it. Try to eat a balanced diet of protein, vegetables, and carbs. Too many processed and sugary foods often might at first give us a boost of energy, but the crash afterwards can negatively affect us emotionally and physically.
    • Move your body: a short walk can be enough. Research shows that exercise can release endorphins which can enhance positive mood and affect.
    • Track your mood or journal – it helps to observe patterns
  1. Avoid Isolation
  • Depression tells you to withdraw, but being around others – even if silently – helps.
    • Consider texting a trusted friend: “I’m not doing great today. Can we talk?”
    • Support groups (in-person or online) are also helpful. Google support groups for depression or anxiety in your area. Most cities have at least one support group. Support groups can be beneficial in getting you social interaction and support from others along with understanding that you are not alone in how you feel.
  1. Avoid getting overwhelmed
  • Set tiny, achievable goals:
    • “Shower today”
    • “Reply to one email”
    • “Sit outside for 5 minutes”. Success builds momentum. When we accomplish a task, we set out for, we tend to feel better about ourselves which helps our mood.
  1. Limit Harmful Inputs
  • Cut back on things that deepen depression:
    • Social media comparisons. People often present themselves in a good light on social media and what you see on social media is often not the reality.
    • Alcohol or drugs. Why alcohol and drugs are often used to numb feelings, the brain can learn to rely on them to cope which can put you at risk for addiction.
    • Unstructured screen time or doom scrolling. Much on social media can be negative or increase anxiety or stress. Surrounding oneself with a lot of negativity can definitely negatively affect one’s mood.
  1. Crisis Planning

If you ever feel like you might hurt yourself, please reach out immediately.

You’re not alone, and help is available:

  • Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
  • Call 911
  • Go to your closest emergency room. Emergency rooms have crisis counselors available to talk to.