Lack of interest in my hobbies is usually the first sign of an oncoming episode. Suddenly I'll lose interest in the games I've been playing or the book I've been reading. Then I can't find anything else that can hold my interest so I'll just laze around browsing the internet and listening to dark music. Usually my brain gets kind of foggy, like I can't quite think clearly, and my short-term memory takes a serious hit until I'll forget even the simplest things. I'll typically respond by binging on junk food because it "comforts" me, except it really just makes things worse in the long run. When it gets particularly bad I get lots of hopelessness and apathy for everything and everyone, as well as massive feelings of insignificance. Sometimes suicidal thoughts will pop up.

I'd add insomnia and exhaustion but those symptoms persist whether I'm feeling particularly depressed or not! Sometimes I really think I might have dysthymia on top of my MDD, so I occasionally dip into "double depression."