Bret Hollander

The symptoms of moderate depression are similar to those of mild depression, but are worse and are present most of the time. You can pull yourself together for short periods only:

- You are sad
- You lack energy
- You show less of an interest in the world around you.

Your thoughts center on:

- Feelings of guilt
- Low self-esteem

The people around you find it hard to understand why you feel guilty. You are also less happy with people or things in general.

You have little interest in your family or work. Your ability to concentrate is significantly impaired. You stop watching movies and your favourite TV programs, reading newspapers or books. You find it hard to concentrate.

Tiny everyday decisions may feel insurmountable. It can be hard to decide what you should buy for dinner. You have no desire to go out on the town or entertain guests.

If you suffer from moderate depression, you will normally suffer from mood changes during the day. This means that you may be miserable in the morning but better towards the evening.

Your sleep is disturbed. You don’t feel rested. You may find it easy to fall asleep, but wake up after a few hours and can’t drift off again. Many people find lying awake during the early hours very stressful. Here you are all alone with your sad thoughts.

You may find your appetite reduces during a bout of moderate depression. It’s not unusual to lose 5-10% of your normal weight.

You generally lose your sex drive – you may need closeness and contact but find it difficult. Your lack of sex drive may trigger more feelings of guilt.