Can mood swings and headaches be a sign of depression?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am an 18-year-old girl and I have some common symptoms of depression. But my family does not think that I have depression. I go through moments of sadness and sometimes anger. I have had headaches that doctors could not figure out. I want to find out if I have depression.

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq and thank you for choosing us as your provider for medical care.

I understand your concern. Depression as a disorder requires persistent symptoms at least for a couple of weeks where nothing can make the patient improve his or her mood. Transient feelings of sadness and anger can happen to anyone and may not qualify for a depressive disorder. Depression usually is very evident to family members because it entirely changes the way of interaction and interests. Having said all this, depression is poorly understood and may not have the usual features always. If you are experiencing these symptoms very frequently and the severity is increasing, it is better to consult a local psychiatrist. Also, there are self-reporting scales which can be applied to see if you satisfy the diagnosis.

I hope this has helped you.

Thank you.