Your symptoms appear to be signs of depression or dysthymia. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fourth Edition (DSM IV defines depression as having five or more of the following symptoms nearly every day during a 2 week period with at least one of the symptoms being depressed mood or loss of interest/pleasure. These symptoms cannot be due to a general medical condition.
Dysthymia is a milder mood disturbance in whom the patient reports a low mood nearly every day over a period of at least two years.
Symptoms of depression:
1. A depressed mood for most of the day
2. A marked decrease in interest or pleasure in almost all activities
3. Significant weight loss or weight gain
4. Insomnia or hypersomnia
5. psychomotor agitation (anxiety, emotional lability, etc.) or retardation (cognitive slowing, decreased memory, etc.)
6. fatigue or loss of energy
7. feelings of worthlessness or guilt
8. decreased concentration
9. recurrent thoughts of death or suicide
Depression can be psychiatric in nature or secondary to a general medical condition such as hypothyroidism, anemia, lupus, vitamin deficiency, etc. You should go to your primary care physician for an evaluation of potential medical causes with a possible referred to a psychiatrist.
