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What is Clinical DepressionLearn More About Clinical Depression
Definition of Clinical Depression
Depression is an emotional state of persistent dejection, ranging from relatively mild discouragement and gloominess to feelings of extreme despondency and despair.
In other words, clinical depression can make your life difficult as well as almost unbearable. The definition of clinical depression can be better understood if you know some facts about clinical depression.
Clinical depression is also known as depressive disorder or just depression and is a term with the highest place in the hierarchy of depressive disorders.
This means that there are many types and numerous subtypes of depression. For example some types of depression include: dysthymia (chronic depression), major depression, cyclothymia, bipolar disorder (manic depression), postpartum depression, atypical depression and so on.
A side from many types of depression, there are also many subtypes of clinical depression such as: bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder or major depressive disorder single episode and major depressive disorder recurrent.
In addition to subtypes, there are subtypes of subtypes such as: bipolar I disorder single manic episode and bipolar I disorder most recent episode mixed.
As you can see, clinical depression is not a single disorder as one of its synonyms, depressive disorder, may suggest. In fact, clinical depression is a group of depressive disorders that differ in their symptoms, severity, onsets, causes and treatment.
This is why, when talking about symptoms of clinical depression or depression treatment we can only make an overall list of symptoms and treatment possibilities. Clinical Depression Symptoms
• Hopelessness • Despair • Restlessness, irritability • Suicidal thoughts or attempts • Unexplained chronic pain • Loss of energy • Alcoholism or drug problem • Insomnia or hypersomnia • Weight gain • Low self esteem • Intrusive thoughts • Low or no libido energy
There are many other symptoms of depression however the symptoms of depression stated above are the most common in clinically depressed people.
Depression is a spectrum disorder. This means that one can suffer from any type of depression, which can be mild, severe or anything in between. Severity of any illness, among other things, is determined with the severity of its symptoms.
Clinical depression is no exception to this rule. Someone who is mildly depressed can normally function, but with an extra effort. On the other hand the person who is suffering from major depression is usually unable to function at all during the major depressive episode.
Causes of Depression
There are many possible causes of depression such as:
• Genetic predisposition • Physical factors such as chronic pain or physical illness • Stress • Trauma • Alcohol and drug abuse (Alcohol and depression) • Social factors such as social isolation • Interpersonal factors (having constant problems with the ones close to you) It is very important to find out what is causing your depression. One of the most important parts of therapy is to identify the causes of depression. Sometimes the causes of depression are evident and in some other cases, depression is there for no apparent reason. Nonetheless, the causes are there and have to be determined and confronted in order for a depressive person to heal.
Clinical Depression Treatment
There are many different types of depression treatments. However, the most successful depression treatment consists of psychotherapy or psychotherapy combined with psychopharmacology. It is also important to know that there are other types of depression treatments available that can be very helpful in treating depression such as physical exercise, herbs and supplements, and certain vitamins.
Depression Medication
Antidepressants are medications that relieve a depressive person from his or her symptoms and can make them less severe. They are very helpful when treating severely depressed people. Antidepressants are also sometimes needed when treating a person with moderate depression. On the other hand, they are not needed for treating mild depression or in some cases moderate depression. Unfortunately antidepressants are overused as well as misused around the world Depression medications or supplements are not the sole answer to the problem. The role of depression medication or its supplements is to make the patient fit and capable to take part in psychotherapy where the real healing is taking place.
Psychotherapy
There are many types of psychotherapy. Some of them are cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, gestalt therapy, interpersonal therapy and psychoanalytic therapies. The most common psychotherapies used for depression treatment are cognitive-behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy.
In the end, you should know that any type of clinical depression is treatable and that the success rate is very high if you or your loved one is receiving the proper treatment. The sad fact is that most of the depressed people do not get treatment or if they do, it is not the proper one. This leaves them at the mercy of depression and unfortunately, depression can be merciless. Do not be one of those people.
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