Major Depressive Disorder Symptoms

• Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism

• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness

• Difficulty concentrating

• Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed

• Difficulty sleeping

• Overeating or loss of appetite

• Persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment

• Suicidal thinking & attempts to take own life

Bipolar Disorder Depression Symptoms

• Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism

• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness

• Difficulty concentrating

• Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed

• May experience sleep disturbances, or oversleeping

• Overeating or loss of appetite

• Persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment

• More attempts to take own life than with major depressive disorder

• A profound loss of energy

• Severe depression more likely to include psychotic symptoms

• Onset of depression occurs at a younger age

• More likely to have a co-occurring mental illness, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, or substance abuse

• More likely to have a family history of mania

• More episodes of depression than with unipolar depression

• Use of antidepressant—without mood-stabilizer—may cause hypomania or mania

Read more about Bipolar Depression in “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Depression”