What is depression?
It’s impossible to escape life’s ups and downs. Feeling unhappy or sad in response to disappointment, loss, frustration or a medical condition is normal. Many people use the word “depression” to explain these kinds of feelings, but that is really situational depression, which is a normal reaction to events around us. Clinical depression, though, overwhelms and engulfs your day to day life, interfering with your ability to work, study, eat, sleep, and have fun. It is unrelenting, with little if any relief.
Are you clinically depressed?(i bolded the ones that apply to me)
If you identify with several of the following signs and symptoms, and they just won’t go away, you may be suffering from clinical depression.
* you can’t sleep enough or you sleep too much
* you can’t concentrate or find that previously easy tasks are now difficult
* you feel worthless and hopeless
* you can’t control your negative thoughts, no matter how much you try
* you have lost your appetite or you can’t stop eating
* you are constantly irritated or become enraged even at small things – and this is new for you
* you have thoughts that life is not worth living, or have a plan for how you would end it (Seek help immediately if this is the case)
Signs and symptoms of depression
There’s a vast difference between “feeling depressed” and suffering from clinical depression. The despondency of clinical depression is unrelenting and overwhelming. Some people describe it as “living in a black hole” or having a feeling of impending doom. They can't escape their unhappiness and despair. However, some people with depression don't feel sad at all. Instead, they feel lifeless and empty. In this apathetic state, they are unable to experience pleasure. Even when participating in activities they used to enjoy, they feel as if they're just going through the motions. The signs and symptoms vary from person to person, and they may wax and wane in severity over time.
| Depression Signs and Symptoms | |
Clinical depression is distinguished from situational depression by length and severity | |
Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness | A bleak outlook—nothing will ever get better and there’s nothing you can do to improve your situation. |
Loss of interest in dailly activities | No interest in or ability to enjoy former hobbies, pastimes, social activities, or sex. |
Appetite or weight changes | Significant weight loss or weight gain—a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month. |
Sleep changes | Either insomnia, especially waking in the early hours of the morning, or oversleeping (also known as hypersomnia). |
Psychomotor agitation or retardation | Either feeling “keyed up” and restless or sluggish and physically slowed down. |
Loss of energy | Feeling fatigued and physically drained. Even small tasks are exhausting or take longer. |
Self-loathing | Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt. Harsh criticism of perceived faults and mistakes. |
Concentration problems | Trouble focusing, making decisions, or remembering things. |
Depression in men
Depression is a loaded word in our culture. Many associate it, however wrongly, with a sign of weakness and excessive emotion. This is especially true with men. Depressed men are less likely than women to acknowledge feelings of self-loathing and hopelessness. How is depression expressed in men? Frequently, it comes out in more “socially acceptable” forms. Anger, aggression, reckless behavior and violence, along with substance abuse, can be signs of an underlying depression. You might hear complaints about fatigue, irritability, sleep problems, and loss of interest or sudden excessive interest in work and hobbies. Even though depression rates for women are twice as high as those in men, men are a higher suicide risk, especially older men.
Depression and suicide
Depression is a major risk factor for suicide. The deep despair and hopelessness that goes along with depression can make suicide feel like the only way to make the pain go away. Suicidal individuals often give warning signs or signals of their intentions. The best way to prevent suicide is to know and watch for these warning signs and to get involved if you spot them. If you believe that a friend or family member is suicidal, you can play a role in suicide prevention by pointing out the alternatives, showing that you care, and getting a professional involved.
The Many Faces of Depression
Depression comes in many shapes and forms. In some, depression can persist at a low level for months and even years. In others, the symptoms are so strong that life grinds to a halt and suicide can be a real concern. Depression can be triggered or aggravated by personal and interpersonal events, hormonal changes (like after childbirth), and can even be triggered by lack of sunlight.
Clinical (Major) Depression
Major depression is characterized by the inability to enjoy life and experience pleasure. Lack of interest in outside activities, strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt, thoughts that life isn’t worth living, weight gain or loss, sleep troubles- all of these are signs of major depression. These feelings normally must persist for at least two weeks in order to be considered a major depressive episode. The symptoms can range from mild, when you can function in life with extra effort, to severe, where you can no longer complete daily activities.
Dysthymia (recurrent, mild depression)
If you have dysthymia, you may feel like you’ve always been depressed. In dysthymia, the depressive symptoms are not as strong as in a major depressive episode, but they last a long time, at least two years. More days than not, you feel mildly or moderately depressed, although you may have some temporary mood lifts. These chronic symptoms make it very difficult to enjoy life or to remember better times.
Postpartum Depression
Strong emotions after giving birth, “the baby blues”, are normal. New mothers are recovering from birth, are most likely sleep deprived, and are adjusting to the responsibilities of parenthood. Postpartum depression, however, is a longer lasting and more serious. What can be especially terrifying to mothers suffering from postpartum depression are feelings of wanting to avoid or even harm the baby. Postpartum depression doesn’t have to occur right after delivery. It can occur up to a year after childbirth.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Why do so many movies and books feature rainy days and stormy weather as gloomy? There may be a grain of truth to this portrayal. Some people experience depressive episodes in a seasonal pattern, normally in winter, when sunlight is limited and overcast days are frequent. This type of depression is more common in climates with more severe winter weather patterns and limited sunlight, like the northern climates.
Depression causes and risk factors
Some medical illnesses have a specific biological or chemical cause, making treatment, like a medication or surgery, more straightforward. Depression is more complicated. It is not just a result of a chemical imbalance, and is not simply cured with medication. What makes depression so difficult to treat is what seems like depression may actually be something else. If you are stuck in a dead end job and feel hopeless and helpless, for example, the best treatment might be finding another job which challenges you more. And if you are new to an area and feeling lonely and sad, the best treatment might be finding new friends at work or through a hobby. In those cases, the depression is situational and is remedied by changing the situation.
Clinical depression is thought to be caused by a combination of biological, psychological and social factors. There are certain risk factors that may make you more vulnerable. Learning what the risk factors are and making lifestyle changes might help reduce the risk of developing depression.
- Genetics. If you have family members who have suffered from depression, you may have a greater risk of developing depression yourself, although there is currently no direct gene that has been found to cause depression.
- Early childhood trauma or abuse. Emotional trauma and abuse has a powerful effect on the psyche. If you had traumatic early life experiences, you may be more at risk to develop depression during or after a stressful life event.
- Loneliness and lack of social support. A key risk factor for depression is isolation and loneliness. Lack of support, whether it is family, friends or colleagues, makes coping with stress all the more difficult. Having marital and relationship problems can also make you feel alone and frustrated.
- Recent stressful or traumatic life experiences. Some events, like losing a loved one, are clearly stressful and cause enormous disruption and strain in our lives. However, anything that causes change can be a stressful life experience, even if it is normally considered a happy event such as a big work promotion, a wedding or childbirth.
- Alcohol and drugs. Alcohol and drugs can cause strong depression symptoms on their own. They can also make you more vulnerable to depression even if you decide to stop using them. Some people try to treat themselves with alcohol and drugs to self medicate, but this only worsens the problem.
- Finances and employment. Financial strain can be an enormous stressor. Struggling to pay the bills or mortgage, or suddenly becoming unemployed, is a very stressful life event. Being unemployed can be a blow to self confidence and can be a very difficult adjustment, especially for men.
- Health problems or chronic pain. Health problems and chronic pain may reduce your mobility, your ability to work or your spare time. They can chip away at supportive relationships and make you feel hopeless and frustrated.
Roads to depression recovery
Just as depression has many faces, so does its recovery. What works for one person might not work for another, and no one treatment is appropriate in all cases. So if you recognize the symptoms of depression in yourself or a loved one, take some time to explore the many treatment options. In most cases, the best approach involves a combination of self-help strategies, lifestyle changes, and professional help.
Depression causes and risk factors
Some medical illnesses have a specific biological or chemical cause, making treatment, like a medication or surgery, more straightforward. Depression is more complicated. It is not just a result of a chemical imbalance, and is not simply cured with medication. What makes depression so difficult to treat is what seems like depression may actually be something else. If you are stuck in a dead end job and feel hopeless and helpless, for example, the best treatment might be finding another job which challenges you more. And if you are new to an area and feeling lonely and sad, the best treatment might be finding new friends at work or through a hobby. In those cases, the depression is situational and is remedied by changing the situation.
Clinical depression is thought to be caused by a combination of biological, psychological and social factors. There are certain risk factors that may make you more vulnerable. Learning what the risk factors are and making lifestyle changes might help reduce the risk of developing depression.
- Genetics. If you have family members who have suffered from depression, you may have a greater risk of developing depression yourself, although there is currently no direct gene that has been found to cause depression.
- Early childhood trauma or abuse. Emotional trauma and abuse has a powerful effect on the psyche. If you had traumatic early life experiences, you may be more at risk to develop depression during or after a stressful life event.
- Loneliness and lack of social support. A key risk factor for depression is isolation and loneliness. Lack of support, whether it is family, friends or colleagues, makes coping with stress all the more difficult. Having marital and relationship problems can also make you feel alone and frustrated.
- Recent stressful or traumatic life experiences. Some events, like losing a loved one, are clearly stressful and cause enormous disruption and strain in our lives. However, anything that causes change can be a stressful life experience, even if it is normally considered a happy event such as a big work promotion, a wedding or childbirth.
- Alcohol and drugs. Alcohol and drugs can cause strong depression symptoms on their own. They can also make you more vulnerable to depression even if you decide to stop using them. Some people try to treat themselves with alcohol and drugs to self medicate, but this only worsens the problem.
- Finances and employment. Financial strain can be an enormous stressor. Struggling to pay the bills or mortgage, or suddenly becoming unemployed, is a very stressful life event. Being unemployed can be a blow to self confidence and can be a very difficult adjustment, especially for men.
- Health problems or chronic pain. Health problems and chronic pain may reduce your mobility, your ability to work or your spare time. They can chip away at supportive relationships and make you feel hopeless and frustrated.
Roads to depression recovery
Just as depression has many faces, so does its recovery. What works for one person might not work for another, and no one treatment is appropriate in all cases. So if you recognize the symptoms of depression in yourself or a loved one, take some time to explore the many treatment options. In most cases, the best approach involves a combination of self-help strategies, lifestyle changes, and professional help.
Ask for help and supportIf even the thought of tackling your depression seems overwhelming, don’t panic. Feeling helpless and hopeless is a symptom of depression¾not the reality of your situation. It does not mean that you’re weak or you can’t change! The key to depression recovery is to start small and ask for help. Having a strong support system in place will speed your recovery. Isolation fuels depression, so reach out to others, even when you feel like being alone. Let your family and friends know what you’re going through and how they can support you.
Make healthy lifestyle changes
Lifestyle changes are not always easy to make, but they can have a big impact on depression. Take a good look at your own lifestyle. What changes could you make to support depression recovery? Self-help strategies that can be very effective include:
- Cultivate supportive relationships
- Get regular exercise and enough sleep
- Eat a healthy, mood-boosting diet
- Manage your stress and practice relaxation techniques
- Challenge negative thought patterns
Seek professional help
If positive lifestyle changes and support from family and friends aren’t enough, seek help from a mental health professional to create a personalized treatment plan. Most plans include some form of therapy that gives you tools to treat depression from a variety of angles. What’s more, what you learn in therapy gives you skills and insight to help prevent depression from coming back.Some types of therapy teach you practical techniques on how to reframe negative thinking and employ behavioral skills in combating depression. Therapy can also help you work through the root of your depression, helping you understand why you feel a certain way, what your triggers are for depression, and what you can do to stay healthy.
This was all found at http://www.helpguide.org/mental/depression_signs_types_diagnosis_treatment.htm
And from http://www.depression.com/ I have
Depression Basics
Some people say that depression feels like a black curtain of despair coming down over their lives. Many people feel like they have no energy and can't concentrate. Others feel irritable all the time for no apparent reason. The symptoms vary from person to person, but if you feel "down" for more than two weeks, and these feelings are interfering with your daily life, you may be clinically depressed.
Most people who have gone through one episode of depression will, sooner or later, have another one. You may begin to feel some of the symptoms of depression several weeks before you develop a full-blown episode of depression. Learning to recognize these early triggers or symptoms and working with your doctor will help to keep the depression from worsening.
Most people with depression never seek help, even though the majority will respond to treatment. Treating depression is especially important because it affects you, your family, and your work. Some people with depression try to harm themselves in the mistaken belief that how they are feeling will never change. Depression is a treatable illness.
Life with depression
Working with your doctor, you can learn to manage depression. You may have to try a few different medications to find the one that works best for you. Your doctor may also recommend that you see a therapist and/or make certain lifestyle changes.
Change won't come overnight—but with the right treatment, you can keep depression from overshadowing your life.
Depression-Related Mood Disorders
Major depressive disorder, commonly referred to as "depression," can severely disrupt your life, affecting your appetite, sleep, work, and relationships.
The symptoms that help a doctor identify depression include:
- constant feelings of sadness, irritability, or tension
- decreased interest or pleasure in usual activities or hobbies
- loss of energy, feeling tired despite lack of activity
- a change in appetite, with significant weight loss or weight gain
- a change in sleeping patterns, such as difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening, or sleeping too much
- restlessness or feeling slowed down
- decreased ability to make decisions or concentrate
- feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, or guilt
- thoughts of suicide or death
If you are experiencing any or several of these symptoms, you should talk to your doctor about whether you are suffering from depression.
If you are in an immediate serious crisis please contact your doctor or go to your local hospital or emergency room.
Dysthymia is another mood disorder. People who have it may feel mildly depressed on most days over a period of at least two years. They have many symptoms resembling major depression, but with less severity.
Symptoms of depression may surface with other mood disorders. They include seasonal major depression (also known as seasonal affective disorder), postpartum depression, and bipolar disorder.
Seasonal Affective Disorder has symptoms that are seen with any major depressive episode. It is the recurrence of the symptoms during certain seasons that is the hallmark of this type of depression.
Postpartum Depression is a type of depression that can occur in women who have recently given birth. It typically occurs in the first few months after delivery, but can happen within the first year after giving birth. The symptoms are those seen with any major depressive episode. Often, postpartum depression interferes with the mother's ability to bond with her newborn. It is very important to seek help if you are experiencing postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is different from the "Baby Blues", which tend to occur the first few days after delivery and resolve spontaneously.
Bipolar disorder, another mood disorder, is different than major depressive disorder and has different treatments. For more information go to bipolar.com.
Causes of Depression
Depression has no single cause; often, it results from a combination of things. You may have no idea why depression has struck you.
Whatever its cause, depression is not just a state of mind. It is related to physical changes in the brain, and connected to an imbalance of a type of chemical that carries signals in your brain and nerves. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters.
Some of the more common factors involved in depression are:
- Family history. Genetics play an important part in depression. It can run in families for generations.
- Trauma and stress. Things like financial problems, the breakup of a relationship, or the death of a loved one can bring on depression. You can become depressed after changes in your life, like starting a new job, graduating from school, or getting married.
- Pessimistic personality. People who have low self-esteem and a negative outlook are at higher risk of becoming depressed. These traits may actually be caused by low-level depression (called dysthymia).
- Physical conditions. Serious medical conditions like heart disease, cancer, and HIV can contribute to depression, partly because of the physical weakness and stress they bring on. Depression can make medical conditions worse, since it weakens the immune system and can make pain harder to bear. In some cases, depression can be caused by medications used to treat medical conditions.
- Other psychological disorders. Anxiety disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and (especially) substance abuse often appear along with depression.
Who Gets Depression?
Although depression can make you feel alone, 16% of Americans will have it during their lifetime. While depression can affect anyone, its effect may vary depending on your age and gender.
- Women are almost twice as likely to become depressed as men. The higher risk may be due partly to hormonal changes brought on by puberty, menstruation, menopause, and pregnancy.
- Men. Although their risk for depression is lower, men are more likely to go undiagnosed and less likely to seek help. They may show the typical symptoms of depression, but are more likely to be angry and hostile or to mask their condition with alcohol or drug abuse. Suicide is an especially serious risk for men with depression, who are four times more likely than women to kill themselves.
- Elderly. Older people may lose loved ones and have to adjust to living alone. They may become physically ill and unable to be as active as they once were. These changes can all contribute to depression. Loved ones may attribute the signs of depression to the normal results of aging, and many older people are reluctant to talk about their symptoms. As a result, older people may not receive treatment for their depression.
Anxiety & Depression
They may seem like opposites, but depression and anxiety often occur together. The loneliness, hopelessness, and sadness of depression can make you afraid and anxious. In turn, this fear and anxiety may make you exhausted and more depressed. It's a vicious cycle, and often there's no way to say which condition came first.
Anxiety takes many different forms. Some people with anxiety disorders suffer panic attacks, which are sudden bouts of extreme fear along with a racing heart, breathlessness, and even pain. Others have anxiety that causes them to often relive traumatic events from their past. Anxiety can make people terrified of social situations, or give them extreme fears of certain objects or situations, making it seem impossible to get in an elevator, for example.
There are several types of anxiety disorders, and each has specific symptoms. But they all have these things in common:
- Extreme fear and dread, even when there is no real danger
- Emotional distress that interferes with daily life
- A tendency to avoid situations that bring on anxiety
Now, Reality wise things I've been diagnosed with by a doctor:
ADD
Anxiety Attacks
Panic Attacks
Asthma
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