It's normal to feel down once in a while, but if you're sad most of the time and it affects your daily life, you may have clinical depression. It's a condition you can treat with medicine, talking to a therapist, and changes to your lifestyle.
There are many different types of depression. Events in your life cause some, and chemical changes in your brain cause others.
Whatever the cause, your first step is to let your doctor know how you're feeling.
Major Depression
You may hear your doctor call this "major depressive disorder." You might have this type if you feel depressed most of the time for most days of the week.
Some other symptoms you might have are:
- Loss of interest or pleasure in your activities
- Weight loss or gain
- Trouble getting to sleep or feeling sleepy during the day
- Feeling restless and agitated, or else very sluggish and slowed down physically or mentally
- Being tired and without energy
- Feeling worthless or guilty
- Trouble concentrating or making decisions
- Thoughts of suicide
Your doctor might diagnose you with major depression if you have five or more of these symptoms on most days for 2 weeks or longer. At least one of the symptoms must be a depressed mood or loss of interest in activities.
Major depression looks different in different people. Depending on how your depression makes you feel, it could be:
Anxious distress. You feel tense and restless most days. You have trouble concentrating because you’re worried that something awful could happen, and you feel like you might lose control of yourself.
Melancholy. You feel intensely sad and lose interest in the activities you used to enjoy. You feel bad even when good things happen. You might also:
- Feel particularly down in the mornings
- Lose weight
- Sleep poorly
- Have suicidal thoughts
If you have melancholic depression, your symptoms might be worst in the mornings when you first wake up. Consider having someone help you with your first tasks of the day. Make sure to eat regularly even if you don’t feel hungry.
Agitated. You feel uneasy most of the time. You may also:
- Talk a lot
- Move for no reason, like fidgeting with your hands and pacing around the room
- Act impulsively
Talk therapy can help. You'll meet with a mental health specialist who will help you find ways to manage your depression. Medications called antidepressants can also be useful.
Persistent Depressive Disorder
If you have depression that lasts for 2 years or longer, it's called persistent depressive disorder. This term is used to describe two conditions previously known as dysthymia (low-grade persistent depression) and chronic major depression.
You may have symptoms such as:
- Change in your appetite (not eating enough or overeating)
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Lack of energy, or fatigue
- Low self-esteem
- Trouble concentrating or making decisions
- Feeling hopeless
Are you feeling hopeless, isolated, and not your usual self?
Do these thoughts often enter your mind?
- I am worthless and can’t do anything about it.
- I feel guilty for just wanting to eat, sleep and be alone.
- I hate who I am these days.
- I can’t stop crying, which makes me want to stay away from others.
- I feel gut-wrenching pain, but no one understands.
- My life and the world around me are dark. I hate it, but I can’t change it.
If you have had any variation of these thoughts and don’t feel like your usual self, chances are you may be suffering from depression.
I want you to know that you are not alone and there are people who can help. Many of my clients find relief in realizing that their struggle does not own them and that there are many options available to once again have hope for their lives.
I understand the social stigmas that come with the label of being depressed and thus aim to help clients sort out their environmental, biological, and circumstantial factors while offering support and care through a very dark time in their lives.
If you are hoping to finally lighten this load and feel like yourself again, contact me today for a free consultation.