Mild depression can be very hard to diagnose. Many symptoms can feel like regular emotional responses. While the name may suggest that this is not a terrible condition, changes in mood can become more serious, and it often helps to address depression at an early stage.
Signs and symptoms
Significant changes in moods and behavior can indicate mild depression.
Common symptoms are…
- irritability
- negative thoughts
- feeling unusually tired
- feeling hopeless
- feeling overwhelmingly sad
- being frequently on the verge of tears
- self-loathing
- having difficulty focusing
- feeling unmotivated
- wanting to be left alone
- having unexplained, minor aches and pains
- losing empathy with others
Types of depression
- Persistent depressive disorder is often called mild depression or dysthymia.
- Major depression can involve very dark moods, which may lead to suicidal thoughts.
- Seasonal affective disorder is often triggered during the shorter days of fall and winter.
- Perinatal and postpartum depression can affect people during and after pregnancy.
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome.
- Bipolar disorder can involve symptoms of minor or major depression.
What to do about mild depression
Visiting a doctor is a good way to start diagnose of depression. Your doctor can assess whether depression is causing you any symptoms and identify the degree of the condition. Many online tests can help you to identify depression. The PHQ-9 test was developed in 1999 and is based on professional diagnostic criteria. It has only nine questions, which are used by doctors in many countries to identify the presence and type of depression.
Mild depression is treated with simple lifestyle changes. These may involve altering a person’s diet and sleeping patterns, or
improving their work-life balance.
