system
What is the way to find depression in a person?
human
Hi. I am a 15 year old female and weigh 145. I am 5-3 ft. and everyday i am very irratable. When someone gets me mad i lash out. I also sleep for long periods of time at night and when i wake up i dont have motivation to get out of bed. I also feel lonely becuase we moved 7 months ago and have made no.friends. I think i have some sort of depression and my parents are sick and tired of my behavior and moods. They think i have a chemical inbalance. How can i find out if its depression or a chemical imbalance?
gpt
Hello, Depression is due to chemical imbalance in brain itself, so, they are interlinked and not different. Your symptoms reflect depression as, you mentioned being sad, lethargic, irritable, increased sleep but no quality or freshness after sleeping, having reduced interaction. There are certain other features which I will mention and see if you have them then -you should seek an appointment with a psychiatrist and get well. The other main features of depressive disorder are- lack of energy, lack of interst in previously pleasurable activities (like playing, watching tV, listening music, etc.) they can differently with different people. The feeling of hopelessness, helplessness and worthlessness may also come up from time to time, with ideas of doing self harm ( which means early intervention is a must). if you have first three of these even in some proportions, then it is likely to be depression and you will benefit immensely from treatment.Please ask more  questions for clarification.Dr. Manisha GopalMD neuropsychiatry