Clinical Depression

Feeling sad or depressed about negative events is a normal human reaction. Everyone gets the blues now and then, and an emotionally healthy person can work through these emotions and continue with his life. However, for some people, feeling depressed is more than just a passing feeling that lasts a few days. When feelings of sadness affect a person's entire life, including anything from his relationships to his sleep patterns, he likely suffers from clinical depression.

 

Clinical depression can be defined as a severe depressive state that is not a normal or temporary reaction to life's events and requires medical treatment. Many people who suffer from clinical depression do not know they have a disorder and merely think it is a personal defect. However, clinical depression is nearly impossible to self-remedy. Without treatment, depression can intensify and hinder a person's ability to function in everyday life, as negative thoughts and behaviors continue to dominate their way of thinking.

Along with traumatic events, physical conditions or stressful situations, depression causes may also include experiencing:

Keep in mind that stress and anxiety can be either causes or symptoms of depression and can come from almost anywhere, including social interactions and/or pressure to perform well in school, at work or even with family.

 

Chemical imbalances in the brain may also be causes of depression. For example, a low level of serotonin, one of the key mood-regulators in the human brain, has been linked to depression. In some cases, chemical imbalances put people at an increased risk of becoming depressed when or if they face emotionally trying experiences.

The most common symptoms of depression in adults include:

While many people may experience one or more of these symptoms at some point in their lives, those who suffer from depression usually have several of these symptoms simultaneously for extended periods of time.

 

If you can't seem to shake your depressed feelings and notice that the quality of your life has significantly declined because of your behavior, consult your doctor or therapist to sort out your emotions and find relief from your symptoms. Clinical depression can only be diagnosed by a doctor.

With the proper help, you and your doctor can work out which treatments for depression are best for you. Depression symptoms caused by negative events can last for weeks or months and can eventually recede with the support of loved ones or a mental health doctor.

 

Clinical depression caused by a chemical imbalance, however, can be ongoing and usually requires medication for treatment. While clinical depression caused by traumatic events also often requires depression medication (along with therapy) to relieve symptoms, in some cases, patients can also benefit from alternative treatments for depression, such as acupuncture.

 

Many people who suffer from depression try to carry the burden alone, but if a chemical balance or traumatic experience is the cause, help from family and medical professionals is necessary to help you understand your condition and find a path to recovery.

 

Depression is a complicated disorder that manifests itself differently in different people. As a result, if you experience depression symptoms for extended period of time, consult your doctor for a proper depression diagnosis.

MedicineNet.com (2003). Definition of Clinical Depression. Retrieved April 17, 2008, from the MedTerms.com Web site: http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=11123.

 

WebMD, LLC (n.d.). Depression- Topic Overview. Retrieved April 17, 2008, from the WebMD Web site: http://www.webmd.com/depression/tc/depression-topic-overview.