Depression at one point of time affects all. But to what extent and period it continues will decide whether you require medical help. Life is full of ups and downs and highs and lows, you never know when a smooth life can have big jerks and can completely shake you. One should heave a sigh of relief as the early signs and symptoms of depression can be clearly deciphered.

The signs and symptoms may vary from person to person. Some may fell depressed for few days and then get back to normalcy. This is the temperory phase that occur due to some untoward happening. But if the feeling of unhappiness and despair over powers you and you are not able to come out of it. Then this is the matter of great concern.

Some of the early signs of depression are:

• feeling worthlessness
• empty mood
• unable to concentrate, focus and remember things
• total detachment from normal life
• an over powering feeling of guilt
• fatigue
• loss of interest in favorite things
• irritability
• constant thoughts of death and suicide
• insomnia or sleepiness
• physical symptoms
• change in appetite or weight

Anyone can fall prey to depression irrespective of age, profession and social strata. But some like people above 65 years of age are more prone to it but show signs of dementia and not depression.

Depression is more prominent with people suffering for major diseases arthritis, thyroid disorder, cancer, Parkinson disease and stroke. This is the due to the major illness they are going through or the underlying disease has brought in a chemical change in the brain.  Some medications too trigger depression in the patients.