Director at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Dr Pinaman Apau has stated that people who sleep more than necessary may be suffering from depression.

Speaking on Joy FM‘s Super Morning Show, she explained that though poor sleep and increased appetite are notable signs that one is suffering from depression, excessive sleep and loss of appetite can be signs as well.

This, she said is often evident in children.

“You realise that some people [who are suffering from depression] may not be able to sleep well but some percentage may sleep excessively, especially in children. Some may also have a poor appetite but again some may have an increased appetite,” she said on Friday, October 15.

She was contributing to discussions on mental health and how to prevent and deal with depression.

During the show, she stated that people often attribute mere sadness to depression which is not the case.

She explained that there is more to depression than just feeling sad.

“When we say depression we mean that one has a low mood or the person feels sad and this sadness is intense. You may or may not have any reason for feeling sad and this sadness is persistent over a period,” she explained.

She added that other symptoms include fatigability, burning sensations in the skin, heaviness in the head, etc.

“People may feel burning sensations in their skin and heaviness in their heads but will seek medical help. But after a series of tests, they are told there is nothing wrong with them. They later visit the mental health centers and after a series of questions you realise that they are suffering from depression.”

Touching on other aspects of depression, she noted that people compound the issue of depression by criticising people who are already suffering from the disease instead of offering a helping hand. This, she noted is unhealthy for the situation.

She, thus, advised persons who may be suffering from any of the above conditions to seek early medical help, especially from experts since depression could lead to hypertension.