A simple definition of depression...
Depression is where a person experiences persistent low moods and unresourceful emotional states, often for no apparent reason.
An emotional definition...
A person with depression often experiences a debilitating ‘cocktail’ of draining emotions including; hopelessness; sadness; irritability; loneliness; guilt; worry; anxiousness; irrational fears; emptiness and worthlessness.
These feelings prevent someone with depression from being able to concentrate and see things clearly. Often it’s difficult for them to make decisions or plan ahead. It’s also common for their memory to get worse and for them to get overwhelmed by tasks and interactions that previously would have been dealth with easily.
A physical definition...
Depression can also bring about physical symptoms like fatigue; sleeping problems; erratic appetite; digestive problems; headaches and other muscular aches and pains.
A depressed person is unlikely to want to participate in activities that would normally help them feel better.
An inappropriate definition...
Often people use the statement- “I’m depressed”, when they experience sadness due to events like: loss of a loved one; loss of a job; failure at achieving something or hitting a target; disappointments; having financial worries and other difficult life issues. Also, teenagers often declare that they’re ‘depressed’ if they feel that they are missing out on the lates party or gadget.
This kind of depression that’s commonly declared out loud is unlikely to to be real, clinical depression.
Clinical depression definition...
Clinical depression is much more than an appropriate and temporary feeling of sadness in relation to life’s events. It’s a mental illness and a medical condition that’s unlikely to naturally shift on it’s own accord without extra help. The symptoms of depression can sometimes be severe enough to significantly affect your ability to keep up with your daily activities and commitments. Someone who's clinically depressed experiences symptoms that are persistent, debilitating and change how they interact with the world.
It’s natural for anyone to feel sad and low after going through a rough time. In most cases, it can be easy to work out what’s caused your mood to change. This feeling of sadness is often just a normal emotion that anyone would naturally feel when having to cope with, and adjust to life’s difficulties.
When you’re clinically depressed, it can be almost impossible to identify the reason behind why you’re constantly struggling with low moods. It’s true that there can be some factors that can trigger an onset of depression. Yet some people will experience depression without any apparent reason at all.
Real, serious depression is where a person’s low mood get’s ‘stuck’, and doesn’t naturally move on. People suffering from depression are known to have low levels of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the brain that regulates your mood.
Being aware of the definition of depression might still not be enough for you to work out if it's affecting you.
Here are 12 questions that are commonly asked to indicate whether or not a person might be suffering from clinical depression:
- Have you been constantly feeling sad for more than 2 weeks?
- Do you experience a lack of interest in doing things that you used to enjoy?
- Do you feel exhausted most of the time?
- Do you find yourself crying even without any good reason?
- Are you experiencing a change in your appetite?
- Do you have sleep problems?
- Do you feel guilty, helpless or worthless?
- Do you find yourself getting annoyed and angry for no apparent reason?
- Are you having trouble concentrating and making decisions?
- Do you have sudden mood swings?
- Are you finding it difficult remembering things?
- Do you have thoughts of committing suicide or hurting yourself?
If you answered ‘yes’ to at least 5 of the questions above, then you might be suffering from clinical depression.
What causes depression?
Although there’s not one definite known cause for depression, there are lots of different factors that can trigger an onset of depression. Some of the most common factors are: too much stress; an underlying medical problem; being in an abusive relationship; dealing with a loss of a loved one due to death or a broken relationship; substance abuse; side effects of some medications; a head injury; having a deficiency in certain nutrients and vitamins that your brain needs for proper functioning, and many other external circumstances.
Many of these causing factors can be lessened with simple lifestyle and habit changes.
Depression Can Be Treated
Understand that clinical depression is an illness that needs treatment because it’s unlikely to go away on its own . Most people understand the need to go to the doctor and get help for a physical health problem, such as a broken leg, fever or pneumonia. However, only a few people realize that there’s also a need to seek help for a mental health problem.
It’s important to be aware that depression is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed illnesses. Even though a common definition of depression exists, symptoms and how they are described vary significantly due to how differently people describe their condition. Some health care professionals fail to recognize it and mistakenly overlook it for some other health problems. It can be a good idea to make a list of your symptoms and inform your doctor about all these. This can be a useful tool that can help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis of your health condition.