Depression is a common and serious psychological disorder. It is not just a 'bad mood', but a comprehensive reaction of a series of emotions, thinking, physiology and behavior. If you feel powerless, empty, and lose interest in life for a long time, you may be in a state of depression.
This article will take you through the 10 most typical signs of depression , help you initially identify risks, and recommend an authoritative collection of online self-test tools for depression to help you scientifically evaluate your psychological state.
1. Top 10 typical symptoms of depression
1. Continuous depression
Patients will continue to feel sad, empty, and even despair. This emotion is not short-lived, but continues for weeks or even months .
2. Loss of interest (loss of pleasure)
Things I liked before (such as listening to music, eating, and chatting with friends) have lost their appeal . Not being able to get excited about life is a typical core symptom.
3. Reduced energy and easy fatigue
Even if you don’t do physical labor, you will easily feel tired, and even if you sleep all night, you will feel tired. This is related to the consumption of energy by 'emotional consumption' .
4. Sleep disorders
Typical manifestations include:
- Insomnia, early awakening or easy awakening at night;
- You may also experience sleepiness and always want to sleep during the day.
5. Significant changes in appetite or weight
Some people become lose appetite and lose weight , while others overeat and gain weight rapidly .
6. Difficult to concentrate
Unable to focus on reading, work, or conversation, and are prone to dazed or distracted. In severe cases, it may affect daily study and work.
7. Self-evaluation declines and self-blame
It is easy to fall into excessive self-blame, guilt, and even deny everything about yourself, and often feel that 'I can't do anything well.'
8. Slow or irritable
The patient may show slow movements and slow speech , or may experience anxiety symptoms such as restlessness and pace back and forth.
9. Physical symptoms (nonorganic)
Including headaches, chest tightness, stomach pain, muscle aches, difficulty breathing, etc., there is usually no clear physiological cause found during the physical examination.
10. Death-related thinking
People with severe depression may repeatedly have thoughts such as 'Is there no value in existence' and 'Is death a relief?', and even have the risk of self-harm behavior.
2. Recommended self-test tools for depression (free online evaluation)
If you recognize yourself in the above symptoms, don't ignore it. It is recommended to use the following professional scales for self-evaluation:
Comprehensive Depression Assessment Tool
- Depression Self-assessment Test: Understanding Your Mental Health Status
- PHQ-9 Depression Self-test Table (Free Test) | Online PHQ-9 Scale Screening Tool
- Quick Self-evaluation Scale of Depression Symptoms (QIDS-SR16)
- SDS Depression Self-rated Scale Free Online Test
- Burns Depression List (BDC)
- Baker Depression Scale (BDI-SF) Free Online Test
- Baker Depression Self-rated Scale BDI-IA
- Hamilton Depression Scale HAMD Free Online Test
Depression tests for specific populations
- Elderly Depression Scale (GDS)
- Children's self-assessment scale for depression disorders (DSRS-C)
- Free online assessment of children's depression scale
- UPI scale for college students’ personality questionnaire
- Mental Health Survey of Children and Adolescents (MHS-CA)
Special performance test
- Do you have depression in your smile?
- Are you suffering from depression?
- Emotional Self-Assessment Scale: Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale (DASS-21)
- Eisenk Emotional Stability (EES)
- Psychological stress test
- Psychological test: potential sadness test
- Mood Thermometer (BSRS-5) Online Test
3. Frequently Asked Questions about Depression FAQ
What is the difference between depression and a normal bad mood?
Ordinary depression usually lasts for several hours to several days and does not affect life function. Depression often lasts for more than a few weeks , seriously affecting study, work, interpersonal relationships, and even at risk of suicide.
I am just lazy and don’t want to move. Are I depressed?
Maybe, or maybe not. Laziness is usually a selective behavior, while the 'powerlessness' brought by depression is an uncontrollable sense of exhaustion . It is recommended to use the PHQ-9 self-test tool to conduct preliminary evaluation.
Can depression heal itself?
Mild depression may be relieved through rest and self-adjustment, but moderate to severe depression requires psychological counseling or drug intervention . Ignorance may lead to worsening of the condition.
Do you need medicine?
Not all depressions require medication. Psychological treatment (such as CBT) is the first choice for many patients. Whether to take medicine should be evaluated by a professional psychologist.
Is Smiling Depression Really?
Yes. Some patients may feel extremely painful even if they have a smile on their faces and live as usual. This type of population has higher risks, and it is recommended to conduct a self-test of smiling depression .
4. At the end: Pay attention to yourself and pay attention to your mental health
Depression is not weakness or pretentious. It is a real psychological disease that can be detected and intervened through scientific means.
If you are experiencing depression, fatigue, inattention, etc., it is recommended to use our free self-test of depression to understand your own mental state and consider seeking professional help.
What those who grop in the dark need most is not blame, but a beam of light.
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