b'Is it Just The Blues? We all have down periods. How do you know if you may be depressed? Clinical depressionis dened as having ve or more of the following symptoms for two weeks or more. However,if you have any of these symptoms persistently, its still wise to mention them to your doctor. A sad mood for most of the day or most daysA loss of pleasure or interest in ones usual activitiesSleeping problemsFatigueChanges in thinkingdiculty thinking or racing thoughts Changes in motioneither reduced motion or restless motion.Changes in weighteither reduced appetite with weight loss or increasedappetite with weight gainNegative self-imageFeelings of guilt and self-blame Changes in your ability to concentrate Suicidal thinking.But it may present as fatigue, which is common the task or the required amount of eort. Onin MS, and mask the diagnosis. It is important the other hand, those with fatigue usuallyto provide as much information and discuss want to engage in activities, but just feel toosymptoms in detail with your healthcare tired to do so.) provider to aid in timely intervention. While there is still much to learn about theDiscerning the Dierence relationship of depression and fatigue, whatThere is a correlation with fatigue and is known is that both fatigue and depressiondepression. Fatigue is a common presenting areindependentlyassociatedwithlowersymptom of depression that can linger even quality of life, and both can exist and in peoplewhen treated. Fatigue can cause depression, with MS and heighten symptoms of the other.and depression can cause increased fatigue. As a person with MS, it is important to takePhysical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms control and take steps to combat the eectsare effects of both symptoms. A poor sleep of these symptoms by engaging in physicalpattern can lead to fatigue and depression. activity, healthy eating, and practicing properSometimes it is dicult to tell one from the other. sleep hygiene. Working with your healthcare(One important clue can be that people with providertotreatotherunderlyingcausesdepression often feel very tired but arent goes a long way in controlling the eects oninterested in doing any activity, regardless of quality of life.33 msfocusmagazine.org'