Which of the following is NOT a physical symptom of depression?

Which of the following is NOT a physical symptom of depression?

• A. Feeling sad and dejected
• B. Eating less frequently
• C. Sleeping poorly
• D. Experiencing frequent headaches

Answer: (A)

Depression involves both mood symptoms and physical (somatic) symptoms, but the key idea here is telling apart how you feel emotionally from what you feel physically in your body. Feeling sad and dejected describes a persistent mood state—an emotional experience—rather than something you would report as a bodily symptom. In contrast, eating less frequently reflects a change in appetite and weight (a physical symptom), sleeping poorly is a disruption in sleep (physical/somatic), and frequent headaches are bodily pains or somatic complaints. Because the question asks for what is NOT a physical symptom, the option that describes a mood state fits that criterion best.

Depression involves both mood symptoms and physical (somatic) symptoms, but the key idea here is telling apart how you feel emotionally from what you feel physically in your body. Feeling sad and dejected describes a persistent mood state—an emotional experience—rather than something you would report as a bodily symptom. In contrast, eating less frequently reflects a change in appetite and weight (a physical symptom), sleeping poorly is a disruption in sleep (physical/somatic), and frequent headaches are bodily pains or somatic complaints. Because the question asks for what is NOT a physical symptom, the option that describes a mood state fits that criterion best.