elp is sought.Most symptoms of depression are frequently overlooked. However, when one has the opportunity to learn about, or more seriously, when opportunity is forced on the person, the symptoms become much more obvious. The symptoms of depression range from mild to severe. Twelve commonly known warning signs are the most identified:Depressed people lose interest in food, friends, sex, favorite activities, or any form of pleasure.Lack of enthusiasm, energy, or motivationSocial withdraw or isolationSadness or hopelessnessConfusion or difficulty with decisionsDrop in school performanceEating or sleeping problemsLow self-esteem or guiltDrug and/or alcohol abuseProblems with authorityAnxiety or phobiasPerfectionism and restlessness (APA, 327).The DSM-IV states that if five or more of these symptoms exist in one’s life for a span exceeding two weeks, this is considered an episode of depression. “When you are depressed, nothing works out the way you hope. Whatever you try to do seems to go wrong. After a few failures, you begin to think that nothing will ever work out. Soon you’re asking yourself, ‘Why bother trying? I know I am going to fail’”(Ayer, 10).There are many different causes of ‘depression’ that range from genetics to family history. A chemical imbalance in a person’s brain or a trauma that could have occurred earlier in a person’s life, or even more recently, are examples within this range. The exact cause of depression is still being researched. Genetics is still an unresolved topic for researchers; they have identified genetic markers for manic-depressive disorder on different chromosomes, but have yet to identify a specific gene for any depressive disorder (Hales, 48). Although genetic and family histories sound familiar, they are different when dealing with depression. It is stated that two-thirds of depressed patients have family members who have suffe...
