 Hey Psych2Goers, welcome back to another video. Have you lost all motivation to do anything? Do you feel tired all the time? It can be difficult to describe how depression feels. For some, it may feel like you're living a stranger's life, and for others, it may feel like an elephant is sitting on your chest. The clinical definition for depression, however, is a mood disorder that causes persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and apathy, with symptoms present for more than two weeks. Sometimes it may be triggered by an event, and other times it may wash over like an unexpected tide. But despite its unique manifestations, here are five signs to look out for that signal depression or a depressive disorder. Before we begin, we'd like to mention that this video is created for educational purposes only, and is not intended to substitute a professional diagnosis. If you suspect you may have depression or any mental health condition, we highly advise you to seek help from a qualified mental health professional. Let's begin. Number one, changes in sleep patterns. Do you feel well rested after a good night's sleep? Or do you still feel tired? Sleep is closely connected to mental and emotional health, and has demonstrated links to depression. Based on the studies by the National Library of Medicine, around 75% of people with depression show symptoms of insomnia, the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep at night. Not only that, but many people with depression also suffer from hypersomnia, which is excessive daytime sleepiness or trouble staying awake during the day. There is a complex association between the number of hours you sleep and your mood. Some hypothesize that the increased release of certain neurons during REM sleep is what causes insomnia and hypersomnia. Fatigue may also disrupt your sleeping pattern by causing you to oversleep. Despite sleeping sufficient hours, some have reported that their sleep was not restorative. Number two, change in appetite. Have you found yourself not wanting to eat at all or eating more so than usual? It's common for those with depression to experience a change in appetite. The negative emotions you may feel, such as hopelessness or sadness, may affect your desire to eat. On the other hand, eating too much or too little may also be due to unresolved feelings or conflicts. Because depression can exist co-morbid with eating disorders, please feel free to reach out to a licensed professional to discuss treatment. Number three, indecisiveness. Did you know that depression can make it harder for you to focus and make decisions? In a depressed state, the strong negative emotions you feel, combined with the pessimistic and negatively distorted outlook on life, can disrupt your decision-making process. Instead of seeing things as they are, you may be gloomier and more pessimistic in how you view others and your environment. This negative outlook, where you feel hopeless or believe that you'll fail at everything you do, may only cause you to avoid taking on any risks or challenges to the point that you avoid making any decisions at all. Number four, pain. Do you experience joint pain, muscle ache, or gastrointestinal problems? A surprising sign of depression is physical pain. Because serotonin and norepinephrine are responsible for mood and pain regulation, an imbalance of these can lead to pain. Studies have shown that treating depression along with physical pain can improve the likelihood of the patient's remission. And though there are many psychopharmaceuticals used to treat pain, it may be beneficial to couple this treatment with other techniques to lower the symptoms of pain and depression, such as talk therapy, stress reduction techniques, and antidepressants. And number five, lethargy. Have you lost your motivation to do anything? Do people often label you as lazy? When we talk about depression, we often think about fatigue being a defining trait. However, fatigue is not just physical. It can also manifest cognitively through apathy, emotional distancing, or impaired concentration. It's why most people dealing with depression-related fatigue often have low motivation and experience a loss of interest, which also explains why they tend to withdraw from daily activities. Did this video help you understand more about depression? Let us know in the comments below. Reach out to your doctor or therapist if you're experiencing or have experienced any of these symptoms mentioned above. If you found this video helpful, be sure to like, subscribe, and share it with those who might benefit from it. And don't forget to hit the notification bell icon to get notified whenever Psych2Go posts a new video. The references and studies used in this video are added in the description below. Thanks for watching, and we'll see you in our next video.