Clinical depression: you can do something about it
What is clinical depression?
Clinical depression is a treatable illness that can strike anyone at any age. It can be caused by one or a combination of triggers including biological factors, genetics, difficult life events, negative thinking patterns, physical health problems and some medications. People suffering from
depression may not feel hopeful or happy about anything in life, may cry a lot and withdraw from friends and family, be forgetful, anxious and worried, and have recurring thoughts of death and/or suicide.
Clinical depression is not a "mood" that someone can "snap out of."
What are the signs and symptoms of clinical depression?
An evaluation for clinical depression is recommended if you experience five or more of the following symptoms for longer than two weeks, or if the symptoms are severe enough to interfere with your daily routine:
- A persistent sad, anxious or "empty" mood
- Sleeping too little or sleeping too much
- Reduced appetite and weight loss, or increased appetite and weight gain (weight gain is more likely to occur among African-American women suffering from depression)
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
- Restlessness or irritability
- Persistent physical symptoms that don't respond to treatment (such as headaches, chronic pain, or constipation and other digestive disorders)
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
- Fatigue or loss of energy
- Feeling guilty, hopeless or worthless
- Thoughts of read more
