I cannot speculate about physical symptoms of others who have been diagnosed with depression, however there are definitive symptoms associated with my own.  They can be described as a generalized weakness or malaise, the severity of which can increase or decrease depending upon how "deep in the pit" I fall.  Symptomology is real.  I tell my wife that I can "feel" the chemicals affecting me, changing me and reducing my ability to perform most day to day functions in a "normal" baseline manner.

In addition, it seems that in my experience depression exacerbates and perhaps even caused generalized anxiety.  By nature, I am not an anxious person, however the physical weakness that is experienced at the onset of a depressive episode "allows" anxiety to appear where it has not before...for no real reason.  In this case the physical symptoms of depression actually become associated with generalized anxiety (a mental disorder with associated physical symptomology).

Depression for me is a slippery slope with definitive mental and physical degenerative properties.  If you would like to contact me further regarding this please feel free at bschwartz@allcountyflooring.com.