Clinical Depression

Clinical Depression is a mental illness that is characterized by a lengthy time during which a person is sad.  However, it is important to understand that just because a person is being gloomy, doesn't mean that they are depressed.  This is because depression is also accompanied by a feeling of apathy, a loss of self-esteem, and the thought that they can never be happy again, which continues on endlessly. 

Of course, there are a variety of different types of depression.  These include Manic or Bipolar depression, Postpartum depression, Dysthimia, Cyclothemia, and Seasonal Affective Disorder.  There is also Clinical depression, which is sometimes called "major" depression.  "Clinical depression" is actually the medical term that doctors use whenever they refer to depression.  It is actually much more of a disorder than an illness.  This is because it basically covers only those people who are actually suffering from the symptoms that are related to depression. 

The most commonly attributed symptoms of this disorder include:

* A lack of joy in living, accompanied by an overwhelming sense of sadness, which will not go away.
* The depressed person avoids contact with others and when contact is made the person is usually very irritable and have a bad temper.
* There is no interest in the everyday pleasures of living.
* There is an inability to function well either at home or at work.
* There is an overwhelming sense of hopelessness.
* A depressed person often cries throughout the day and cannot stop their thoughts in order to sleep well at night.  Then they either wake up early in the morning or oversleep.  Naturally, this will lead to a decreased amount of energy and the inability to concentrate.  It may also cause their thought, speech and movement to become slowed.
* Sometimes clinical depression may also be accompanied by physical symptoms, which do not respond to treatment.  These may include headaches, digestive disorders and chronic pain.

Clinical depression is actually a disorder, which is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain that can be treated.  In fact, most doctors are very optimistic in that they believe that their patients who suffer from clinical depression will soon return to a life filled with good mental health.  Of course this hinges on the fact that these patients must be treated as soon as a diagnosis has been made.  Studies have actually shown that more than 10% of Americans each year suffer from depression.  These same studies have also shown that patients that have actually sought treatment for their clinical depression have been very successful in doing so.  Of these patients, the majority have been treated and have found relief from this disorder.  However, less than one third of those who suffer from depression will actually seek help.

The most common way of treating depression is through the use of antidepressant medications.  While these medications will not correct the problem overnight, they will correct the problem.  Usually it will take three or four weeks for the medication to go into effect.  However, a patient may not actually feel fully recovered until they have taken the medication for at least eight weeks.

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