The Signs of Depression Depression is a loss of an important life goal without anyone to blame. Such a loss affects our behavior, our moods or subjective feelings, our skills, our attitudes or motivations, and our physical functioning and health. Several writers (Levitt & Lubin, 1975; Beck, 1973; Lewinsohn, 1975) have summarized the signs of more severe depression: Behavioral excesses --complaints about money, job, housing, noise, poor memory, confusion, loneliness, lack of care and love... acting out (adolescents), …showed first 75 words of 2695 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2695 total…or "my system is all messed up." Lewinsohn & Arconad (1981) reports that many depressed patients see themselves as physically ill, as victims of some bodily disorder. Thus, they expect the "doctor" or medicine to magically remove their sadness--otherwise, they feel helpless. (Of course, the opposite misunderstanding is equally harmful: when physically caused depression is treated with psychotherapy, prayer, illegal drugs, alcohol, talking to friends, self-help....) Don't neglect the possibility of either physical-chemical or psychological-environmental causes.