The classic type of depression, major depression, is a state in which a dark mood consumes everything and there is a loss of interest in activities, even those that are usually pleasurable. Symptoms of this type of depression include trouble sleeping, changes in appetite or weight, loss of energy, and feeling worthless. The severity of depression ranges from mild, temporary episodes of sadness to severe and persistent depression. Clinical depression is the most severe form of depression, also known as major depression or major depressive disorder.
It is not 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. Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave, and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel that life is not worth living.
A constant sense of hopelessness and despair is a sign that you may have major depression, also known as clinical depression. Depression (major depressive disorder or clinical depression) is a common but serious mood disorder. Causes severe symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and manage daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working. To be diagnosed with depression, symptoms must be present for at least two weeks.
A major depressive episode may precede the onset of persistent depressive disorder, but may also arise during (and overlap) a previous diagnosis of persistent depressive disorder. Women who have major depression in the weeks and months after childbirth may have peripartum depression. Major depression is sometimes called major depressive disorder, clinical depression, unipolar depression, or simply “depression”. Your doctor may diagnose major depression if you have five or more of these symptoms most days for 2 weeks or more.
People with a serious medical condition, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or Parkinson's disease, may be at increased risk of developing major depression. A diagnosis of major depressive disorder (clinical depression) means that you have been feeling sad, depressed, or worthless most days for at least two weeks, while having other symptoms such as trouble sleeping, loss of interest in activities, or changes in appetite. The best way to prevent another episode of depression is to know the triggers or causes of major depression (see above) and to continue taking your prescribed medication to avoid relapse. Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects the way you feel, the way you think, and how you act.
Major depression can sometimes occur from one generation to the next in families, but it can often affect people without a family history of the disease. If you are considering taking an antidepressant and are pregnant, planning to become pregnant or are breastfeeding, talk to your doctor about any increased health risks to you or your unborn or nursing child. Several persistent symptoms in addition to low mood are required for the diagnosis of major depression, but people with only a few symptoms, but distressing, may benefit from treating their “subsyndromic depression”. There are no blood tests, x-rays, or other laboratory tests that can be used to diagnose major depression.
This term is used to describe two conditions formerly known as dysthymia (persistent low-grade depression) and chronic major depression. ECT is a medical treatment that has been most often reserved for patients with severe major depression who have not responded to other treatments. In general, between 20 and 25% of adults may experience an episode of major depression at some point in their lives. .
