CLINICAL DEPRESSION

 CLINICAL DEPRESSION

Meaning

Depression ranges in seriousness from mild, temporary episodes of sadness to severe, persistent depression. Clinical depression is the more-severe form of depression, also known as major depression or major depressive disorder. It isn't the same as depression caused by a loss, such as the death of a loved one, or a medical condition, such as a thyroid disorder.

To diagnose clinical depression, many doctors use the symptom criteria for major depressive disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association.

Signs and symptoms 

Signs and symptoms of clinical depression may include:

• Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness
• Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
• Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, sport. 
• Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
• Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
• Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased cravings for food.
• Anxiety, agitation or restlessness.
• Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements.
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame.
• Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things.
• Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts.
• Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches.

Causes of Clinical Depression 

1. Stressful Events:

Most people take time to come to terms with stressful events, such as bereavement or a relationship breakdown. When these stressful events occur, your risk of becoming depressed is increased if you stop seeing your friends and family and try to deal with your problems on your own.

2. Personality:

You may be more vulnerable to depression if you have certain personality traits, such as low self-esteem or being overly self-critical. This may be because of the genes you've inherited from your parents, your early life experiences, or both.

3. Family History:

If someone in your family has had depression in the past, such as a parent or sister or brother, it's more likely that you'll also develop it.

4. Loneliness:

Feelings of loneliness, caused by things such as becoming cut off from your family and friends can increase your risk of depression.

5. Alcohol and Drugs:

When life is getting them down, some people try to cope by drinking too much alcohol or taking drugs. This can result in a spiral of depression. Cannabis can help you relax, but there's evidence that it can also bring on depression, particularly in teenagers.

6. Illness:

You may have a higher risk of depression if you have a longstanding or life-threatening illness, such as coronary heart disease or cancer. Head injuries are also an often under-recognized cause of depression. A severe head injury can trigger mood swings and emotional problems.

Treatment of Clinical Depression

1. Wait and See:

If a GP diagnoses you with mild depression, they may suggest waiting a short time to see if it gets better by itself. In this case, you'll be seen again by the GP after 2 weeks to monitor your progress. This is known as watchful waiting.

2. Exercise:

There's evidence that exercise can help depression, and it's one of the main treatments for mild depression. You may be referred to a group exercise class.

3. Self Help:

Talking through your feelings can be helpful. You could talk to a friend or relative, or you could ask a GP or local talking therapies service if there are any self-help groups for people with depression in your area.

4. Mental Health Teams:

If you have severe depression, you may be referred to a mental health team made up of psychologists, psychiatrists, specialist nurses and occupational therapists. These teams often provide intensive specialist talking treatments as well as prescribed medicine.

5. Antidepressants:

Antidepressants are medicines that treat the symptoms of depression. There are many different types of antidepressant. They have to be prescribed by a doctor, usually for depression that's moderate or severe.

6. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT):

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) aims to help you understand your thoughts and behavioral, and how they affect you. CBT recognizes that events in your past may have shaped you, but it concentrates mostly on how you can change the way you think, feel and behave in the present.

-By Chetan Singh Chouhan