Journey of Hearts 

General Information
Depression is one of the most common disorders and one that is frequently missed or overlooked by health care professionals or even family members. Depression affects not only the lives of those suffering from it, but also the lives of those closest to them.

Depression is more easily recognized by women. For men, frequently they will feel fatigued, having problems with concentration or memory, or problems with insomnia, and admit to being stressed, but often not recognize they are depressed.

If you suspect that you may be depressed then answer the following questions. After completing the checklist, it will be easier to determine if you would benefit from seeking professional medical care with potential pharmaceutical intervention.

If at least 5 of the symptoms listed below, including depressed mood or loss of interest in activities, are present for 2 weeks or longer without physical cause, a major depression is the likely diagnosis. A minor depressive condition can also exist and may be benefitted by intervention. Contact your health care provider for additional evaluation.

1. Have you been feeling sad....down in the dumps?
2. Do you still enjoy...your job, sports, hobbies?
3. Do you often feel tired?
4. Do you have trouble sleeping or do you sleep too much?
5. Have you been gaining or losing weight?
6. Do you often feel down on yourself, that everything is your fault?
7. Do you have trouble making decisions or concentrating on your work?
8. Do you often feel agitated or like you can barely move?
9. Do you ever feel that life isn't worth living?
10. Do you ever have thoughts about hurting yourself?

• Loss of interest in formerly pleasurable activities
• Dissatisfaction with life
• Withdrawal from social activities
• Loss of energy
• Feeling useless or hopeless
• Irritability
• Great concern with health problems
• Sadness or crying
• Worry and/or self-criticism
• Difficulty concentrating and/or making decisions
• Loss of appetite and weight

If you are feeling like harming yourself or someone else, or are feeling depressed, helpless or hopeless, Call 911, your local suicide hot-line, or Crisis Intervention line, located in the Yellow Pages, or contact the Samaritans via e-mail at:

For screens without frames http://www.samaritans.org.uk/textonly.html/texthome.html
For screens with frames http://www.samaritans.org.uk/sams.html/home2.html

The Samaritans is a UK charity, founded in 1953, which exists to provide confidential emotional support to any person, who is suicidal or despairing; and to increase public awareness of issues around suicide and depression. This service is provided 24 hours every day by trained volunteers, and relies upon public donations.

Call someone--a friend, or family member, your clergy or physician. Look in the Yellow pages under Counselors, Psychologists, Social Workers and Psychiatrists, if you feel you may need immediate professional assistance.

If you or anyone you know seems to be experiencing depression, consider taking one of the quizzes on the other depression pages, Self Assessment Quiz or  Wakefield Questionnaire and contact your health care provider, counselor, clergy member or social worker and get the help you need.