The term “severe depression” is used to refer to patients who suffer from a more complex presentation of depression, with the only best way to define it being a simple listing of the severe depression symptoms. This term is used, interchangeably, to refer to chronic depression and treatment resistant depression. However, it does not mean that if you have either chronic or treatment resistant depression, you are severely depressed. You can have either but not be severely depressed.

You will know that you, or a person you are observing, are severely depressed if they exhibit a number of the symptoms of severe depression discussed below. However, in the case of bereavement, the same symptoms should not be interpreted as severe depression.

If you notice quite a significant change in your weight, either a sudden increase, or a huge loss, yet you are not dieting, then this should point you in the right direction. However, this on its own should not be considered a symptom of severe depression. This weight change is usually accompanied by, or is as a result of changes in one’s appetite. Most severely depressed persons will either have a huge appetite for food, eating excessively, or may lack appetite completely, meaning that they do not feel like eating at all.

When you start losing interest in some activities that you have always loved, or you start losing pleasure in all the activities that used to give plenty of it, then this is another indication of severe depression. This is more so if this loss of interest is happening nearly every day, with you never looking forward to any of these activities day in, day out.

If you have a depressed mood all the time, nearly every day, and are having feelings of sadness for no apparent reason, then this is a huge indicator of severity of your depression. When in this kind of mood, you may also keep crying for no reason. In children and adolescents, one may become very irritable. When you experience such moods and express such traits, then you may be severely depressed.

Another one of major signs of severe depression is extreme sleep tendencies. You either sleep too much, a condition called hypersomnia, or you are unable to sleep at all, a condition called insomnia. This becomes an almost daily trend for you when in this state of severe depression. For most people, they will want to spend all their time in bed. However, for those experiencing insomnia, they tend to stay awake all night long.

Severe depression is also mostly accompanied by loss of energy and extreme tiredness, or fatigue. Though not necessarily true, this happens because of the changes in sleep patterns, feeding patterns, and the mood changes. Associated with these feelings of energy loss is psycho motor retardation and agitation, or simply sluggishness. One moves very sluggishly like they are being forced to move. You also tend to work slower, even on some very simple tasks.

Have you been feeling some excessive and inappropriate guilt for no apparent reason at all almost every day? Do you feel completely worthless, like there is nothing you can do right? Do you feel like you are not worthy to be trusted? If so, this is a sign that you may be getting down with severe depression.

At it’s severest, depression also makes one to have diminished ability to concentrate, even on minor tasks, with reduced thinking abilities. You become very indecisive, quickly forgetting to do some things that one should not be reminded to do. There are also increased incidents of indecisiveness, occurring several times in a day, every day.

The most severe symptom of depression, which dictates immediate medical attention, is suicidal thoughts. If one keeps getting recurring thoughts of committing suicide, with or without a plan, then this is the one most definite symptom of severe depression. Some people will even attempt suicide severally, with some just having thoughts but not acting.

It is good to note that one should not rush to conclude of severe depression without good medical basis and examination. A qualified medical expert, through a series of tests and examinations, is the only person who can diagnose the severity of a depression. Again, the observation of one or just some of the symptoms above should not be considered a conclusive diagnosis of severe depression. This is only reached through interplay of several, or all of the above severe depression symptoms.

Currently known as bipolar disorder (because of the different opposing poles of mood swings), manic depression is a mood disorder, or an affective disorder characterized by dramatic mood swings.

What are the main manic depression symptoms? The mood swings associated with a manic depressive disorder alternate from extreme lows, called depression, to abnormal highs, called mania. It is a serious condition that causes sleeplessness, hallucinations, psychosis, delusions, grandiose and paranoid range. Moods associated with it usually alternate from clinical or major depression, to extreme elation or mania. These mood swings can either be mild or extreme. They can also occur suddenly within a small time frame, or they can occur gradually over time.

A person suffering from manic depression may have thinking disturbances along with those dramatic mood swings. Impairment of social functioning as well as distortions of perception is also a common sign.

Here are the main symptoms of manic depression or bipolar disorder:

A person with manic depression will exhibit a reduced appetite, or alternatively, a very high appetite. This person may also add or loose weight rapidly. Fatigue and decreased energy may also be signs of manic depression, with a general slowing down of the person while taking on the daily tasks. Most patients will also have difficulties concentrating on whatever they are doing, with very lowered memory and decision making processes.

Manic depressive disorder symptoms include a tendency to either oversleep or stay awake without sleeping (insomnia), with some people waking up very early in the morning and not managing to get back to sleep. These persons are also persistently sad, anxious and with very empty moods (feeling of emptiness). This is coupled by restlessness and irritability, with loss of interest in what they once had a passion or interest in, including sex.

Manic depression symptoms in adults also include feelings of guilt, helplessness and worthlessness, with a lot of hopelessness about things ever getting better. Most will be very pessimistic, to the extent of having suicidal thoughts, or even attempts at suicide. The patients also experience a lot of physical symptoms that are persistent and never seem to respond to treatment, such as digestive disorders, headaches, and chronic pains.

The manic episodes of manic depression exhibit quite some different and opposite symptoms from those of the depression phases. These symptoms include increased energy, which in turn leads to restlessness and a lot of activity. The manic patient becomes extremely irritable, with a very provocative and aggressive behavior. This person becomes very intrusive and with very poor judgment.

In the manic phase, patients also tend to deny that there is something wrong with them or what they are doing. Such people become very hard to convince to seek medical attention if they have not started already. These persons cannot concentrate on anything and are easily distracted. The levels of concentration are so low that even sleeping is a problem, with very little need for sleep.

A common symptom of mania is the unrealistic belief in one’s powers and abilities, with accompanying racing thoughts and fast talk. A manic person tends to quickly jump from one idea to another, without even concluding on the previous idea. One also remains in a very high euphoric mood, and a general “good” feeling which is extremely exaggerated.

Due to the extremely increased energies, a manic depressed person tends to get in to drug abuse more easily. The most common drugs most of these patients may abuse include cocaine, alcohol and also sleeping medications, especially due to lack of sleep. These persons also tend to have lasting periods of different than usual behavior, including going on regular spending sprees, even when they do not have a lot of money. Most of them also get increased sexual drives.

Good to note is that a depression episode is deemed manic if elevated moods are diagnosed, with three or more other symptoms most of the day and nearly every day. This should happen for at least one week or longer. Some four other symptoms must be present if the mood is irritable. These include most manic depression symptoms discussed earlier.

Just like with most other types of depression, this disorder can be managed with a combination of mood swings stabilization and the proper treatment of the related symptoms. Remember that a depressed person should be taken good care of, and treated as humanly as possible. Showing affection to these patients helps alleviate the many symptoms of manic depression that they have.

Do you have some clinical depression symptoms like feelings of sadness, loneliness or just feeling depressed? Clinical depression, also referred to as major depressive disorder, or major depression, is simply a prolonged state of unhappiness. This state is characterized by feelings of emptiness, sadness, loss of interest in some or all of one’s favorite activities, and poor concentration, among other signs.

Feeling depressed is a normal reaction to life’s struggles, loss, or an injured self-esteem. However, when these feelings worsen and last for some longer periods of time, they can make you stop living what is defined as normal life, which is active and ordinary. At this point, you may need medical attention because you might show symptoms of clinical depression. So, how can you tell that you are suffering from clinical depression?

A combination of a majority or all of the following signs of clinical depression, being exhibited by a person on a daily basis, may indicate the possibility of a major depressive disorder.

• Depressed mood (irritability in children and teenagers)
• Daily loss of energy and fatigue
• Feelings of guilt and worthlessness
• Difficulty to concentrate and to make decisions
• Sleeping problems (insomnia or hypersomnia)
• Weight loss or weight gain of more than 5% of body weight within a month, as well as changes in appetite
• Loss of interest in otherwise enjoyable activities
• Restlessness or being slowed down (psychomotor agitation or retardation)
• Thoughts of suicide and death

However, the final diagnosis can only be made by a qualified medical expert. It is therefore important to seek medical help when you suspect that you or a loved one is going down with clinical depression. Remember that you should first rule out medication side effects, bereavement, drug abuse, or other medical conditions like thyroid abnormalities, before suspecting clinical depression.

To be able to distinguish a condition as being major depression, you must have one of the symptoms being a depressed mood. Alternatively, you can have loss of interest. These symptoms must be present for the better part of the day, everyday or nearly every day, for at least two weeks. Then, a majority of the following other symptoms of depression should also be present.

If a person expresses feelings of extreme tiredness and fatigue for no apparent reason, with increased loss of energy almost every day, then this person may be clinically depressed. The person may also have impaired concentration and indecisiveness, with a clearly marked decrease in interest in all, or almost all activities, most of the day, nearly every day. Pleasurable activities that used to be enjoyed regularly are no longer enjoyed. This symptom, also called anhedonia, is noted and reported by partners (because one may loose sexual interest, too) and close family friends.

A clinically depressed person may report a rapid significant increase or decrease in weight, with a change of over 5% of the body weight within a month. This may also come together with appetite changes, the latter either becoming highly increased or completely lost. Thus, a person may either start overeating, or they may stop having the urge to eat completely. This happens nearly every day.

Insomnia (lack of sleep), or hypersomnia (excessive sleep) is another common symptom for this depressive disorder. A person tends to sleep a lot, or wants to stay in bed most of the time. Alternatively, some people may completely lack sleep, and when they catch some of it, they may get up very early in the morning and are then unable to fall back to sleep.

Restlessness (psychomotor agitation) or becoming slowed down (psychomotor retardation), are other symptoms that may be observed. A person, who previously used to be very calm, may start acting up and becoming very unsettled. On the other hand, you may find a person who usually takes up his tasks efficiently becoming extremely slow and even missing out on deadlines. One also starts moving slowly, with a lot of distracted thoughts. These persons are at a higher risk of causing accidents or harming themselves.

The climax of the clinical depression symptoms are regular and recurring suicidal thoughts, thoughts of death, lack of fear of death, planning of suicide, with some even attempting suicide. This comes as a result of the feelings of worthlessness and helplessness that one experiences. A person becomes very pessimistic, seeing no end in their misery other than in death.

Due to the aggravated nature of most of these clinical depression symptoms, good care and attention should be given to such a depressed person. It is also important to note that major depression can occur in children, teens, adults and the elderly alike. It has also been noted that women are at a higher risk of getting in to major depression than men, with twice the number of women getting depressed compared to men. This is mainly associated with the hormonal changes women go through in puberty, pregnancy, menstruation, menopause and miscarriage. Depression symptoms in women may vary from the signs of depression in men or the teenage depression symptoms. Medical help should be sought immediately whenever signs of clinical depression are suspected or detected.

Almost everyone knows about the emotional symptoms of depression, which include hopelessness, helplessness, sadness, despair and loss of interest. However, few people are aware of the physical symptoms of depression. Many people think that because depression is a mental disorder, there are only emotional symptoms that can be associated with it. This assumption is absolutely wrong. There are many physical signs of depression which are ignored by patients and sometimes overlooked by doctors alike. It is important to be aware of the physical symptoms of depression so that people who suffer from a depressive disorder can be diagnosed and get the right treatment at the right time.

• Pains: headaches, back and chest pain

Muscle aches, chest and back pain, joint pain are all physical signs of depression. The problem is that all these pains are often mistaken as symptoms of other diseases. For example, the pain in the muscular system is mistaken for symptoms of flu; the pain in the joints is mistaken for arthritis.

If the patient is already suffering from back pain, the back pain may be aggravated with depression, and the patient may also experience pain in the neck and shoulders along with pain in the back. Pain in the chest may be severe for patients with severe depression. If a patient suffering from depression has chest pain, it should not be ignored. It could also be due to heart problems, and if it is not treated at the right time it can become fatal. If the pain is due to depression, the pain will not go away even if the patient takes pain killers.

Stress always leads to headaches. People suffering from depression get severe headaches. If the patient has a history of migraines, he may get more severe attacks of migraine and the migraines may also can be more frequent.

• Digestive problems

Patients suffering from depression may experience problems in their digestive system, such as chronic constipation, diarrhea, gas problem, stomach cramping, queasiness and nausea. Studies have shown that up to 60% of people who suffer from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) also suffer from anxiety and depression.

• Eating disorders

Research has shown that over weight can be linked with physical symptoms of depression and anxiety, both in women and in men. Some patients have a craving for food and some have a lack of appetite. Those who have a loss of appetite neglect food, which leads to a weight loss. Those who feel hungrier eat a lot of food and they eat frequently, too. This leads to weight gain and may result in overweight or obesity.

• Sleep disorders

Just like appetite, some patients feel over sleepy, which is called hypersomnia, and some patients experience difficulty to sleep, which is called insomnia. The patients suffering from insomnia fall asleep late at night, are awake early in the morning and can’t get back to sleep. The lack of sleep can worsen their depression. Those who have hypersomnia will sleep too much, and around 15% of people with depression actually sleep too much.

• Tiredness

Patients suffering from depression feel exhausted and tired. They experience low energy levels, even to perform their day to day activities. They have difficulty getting up in the morning, and they are physically inactive and totally drained. Patients who feel tired are slow in all their activities and are sluggish in their movements.

• Restlessness

In contrast to the above symptoms some patients feel keyed up and hyperactive. They may feel restless all the time and they find it difficult to sit in the same place. This is due to a lack of concentration resulting from depression.

• Blurred vision

This is the result of general muscular weakness.

• Dizziness and lightheadedness

Patients suffering from depression may feel dizzy and lightheaded. They feel as if they were floating. For most patients, the major reason for this is a lack of sleep and a lack of food. Some patients may also experience fainting spells. Palpitations and difficulty in breathing may also be experienced by some depressed people.

A person who suffers from depression may have one or more of the above physical symptoms along with emotional symptoms of depression. If any of these symptoms are noted, the person should visit his doctor and also look for a good depression treatment program. The right treatment given at the right time can definitely help treating depression faster and get rid of the physical symptoms associated.

A common question that most parents ask is whether children can also suffer from depression. The simple answer is yes. Depression is not only an adult illness but can also happen in children and teens. This should, however, be separated from the normal “blues” and every day emotions that children get when growing up and developing. What are some of the most common childhood depression symptoms?

When a child looks sad, this does not necessary mean that he or she is significantly depressed. However, if the sadness persists, or it starts bringing out some disruptive behavior that interferes with the normal social activities, then this may indicate depression. The good thing is that depression is treatable. All you need is to identify this illness in time and seek medical attention.

Childhood depression affects about 2.5% of children in the United States of America. From this number, the cases of boys are higher than girls for children under the age of 10 but as age progresses, incidences of depressed girls increases, surpassing greatly that of depressed boys by the age of 16 (see Symptoms of depression in teenagers for more information). So, what are some of the symptoms to check out for in depression in children?

The first signs of depression in children are sadness, mood changes, and hopelessness. Then, there are a number of symptoms that will be noticed. However, it is important to know that although not all children will have all the following symptoms, those with a depressive disorder will invariably show changes in their social activities and lose interest in school and otherwise enjoyable hobbies.

Boy in depression

The symptoms of depression in children include:

• primarily sadness and hopelessness
• mood changes
• anger and irritability
• withdrawal from social, school, and family activities
• changes in eating and sleeping habits
• low energy levels, fatigue, difficulty to concentrate
• pains and physical aches and illnesses
• higher sensitivity to rejection
• feelings of being worthless, guilt
• thoughts of suicide or death, self destructive behavior

A depressed child will exhibit a loss of interest in games, hobbies and other extra-curriculum activities at school. A tendency to not complete school assignments, coupled with signs of social withdrawal and persistent sadness may also be witnessed. These children may also start giving out some of their most valued possessions without any valid reasons to do so.

You may also notice changes in the sleep patterns of the child, either too much sleeping or lack of sleep, as well as eating habit changes. Some children will refuse to eat while others start eating too much. The child may also become easily irritable, with vocal outbursts and acting that results from this bad temper. To add on to this, some children will get inclined to watching horrifying and sorrowful movies, and also reading sad stories’ books.

A child with depression may also start complaining of ailments, aches and pains which do not respond to medicine. They are also prone to increased falls, accidents, with tendencies to commit suicide from the increased suicidal thoughts. They become more sensitive to turned down requests and any rejections, with some significant drops in academic performances.

Child depression symptoms also include excess tiredness or fatigue coming from no apparent reason. This comes together with low energy, making the child sluggish in movement or in accomplishing any assigned duty. The child has feelings of increased worthlessness and feelings of not being valued either at home or at school. These lead to loneliness hence the suicidal thoughts.

A child generally gets impaired thinking and concentration, with very little sense of fun and activity. This leads to reduced ability to function in events both at home and with friends, on school work, and in their hobbies, passions and interests. The end result is social withdrawal.

Some children, especially those over the age of 12, may start indulging in to drug abuse and alcohol use and abuse. If a family has a history of depression, the children are also more likely to get depressed. Similarly so, in families where there is a lot of physical abuse and violence, or sexual abuse, the children also tend to be at a higher risk of going down with depression. They also tend to be more prone to attempting suicide.

It is good to note that not all children will exhibit all these childhood depression symptoms, and there are also different types of depression that trigger different signs and symptoms. Some will show just a few of these symptoms, while others show more or other different ones from the same list. Depending on the cause of depression, the settings the child is in, and the kind of attention the child gets, the signs may greatly vary. Close scrutiny in school and at home can help identify even the slightest of these symptoms, and early enough for the relevant medical attention.

It is also important for parents to gather information from teachers, school mates, friends and other relatives when such symptoms are suspected. Similarly so, any red flags raised by the same parties should be taken with the seriousness they deserve. A parent should not assume that only children from other homes can get into depression.

Depression is a real illness that requires professional help. Treatment may include individual and family therapy, a depression treatment program, as well as anti-depressants. It is therefore important to seek this medical care as soon as childhood depression symptoms are detected or suspected.

In the realm of mental disorders depression is a very commonly dealt-with problem and many people experience it at least once in their lives. It is important to know that there are different types of depression. Some of them may be completely disabling, while other types of depression, while not disabling, may make life very hard and unpleasant for people suffering from depression.

Depression is also referred to as clinical depression, and it is not just a feeling of blues or sadness. Depression is a state of stress, unhappiness, sadness, which lasts for at least 2 weeks. Here are the types of depression known to scientists. Each one of these depression types may have different causes and produce different depression signs and symptoms.

• Major depression

Major depression is also called major depressive disorder. It is one of the most severe types of depressive disorders. Major depression is a protracted state of sadness. During this time, a person may lose all interest in once enjoyable life activities. Energy deficiency and emotional distress may lead to an inability to function. People may have a hard time managing daily tasks, working, or even eating and sleeping.

Major depression boosts people’s levels of anxiety. It also has a number of physical manifestations, such as a loss of appetite and a consequent loss of weight, or overeating, which can lead to overweight and obesity. Insomnia is another one of possible major depression symptoms. People sleep either too little or too much and have a hard time waking up.

Chronic pains, digestion problems and headaches are also listed among major depressive disorder symptoms. All these physical, emotional and mental problems decrease people’s satisfaction of life. Some people deal with major depression incidents only once in their lifetime. However, it is quite common that a person has to deal with several repeated major depression incidents over his or her lifetime. Major depression often leads to suicidal thoughts or acts.

• Atypical Depression

This type of depression is related to some very particular symptoms. It is considered to be a kind of major depression. People with this depressive disorder experience remission periods, when their mood improves and they feel as if life was worth living. Such changes could be related to happy times in their lives or social activities. However, these happy moments do not last long. They change and the person experiences depressive moods and thoughts again.

People with atypical depression tend to have sleep disorders. They oversleep, and have a hard time waking up and starting their day. They also have eating disorders, manifested in an increase in appetite. They tend to overeat and gain weight fast. Other symptoms of this type of depression include irritability, sexual life problems, sadness, mood swings. People can start crying easily. Atypical depression is a type of depression that affects a lot of women.

• Dysthymia (recurrent, mild depression)

Dysthymia or chronic depression is a milder form of depressive disorder. As a rule, people with this disorder do not experience any major difficulty to live. However, this type of depression affects their lives by sort of slowing them down. People with dysthymia, which means “melancholy” if translated from Greek language, experience a lack of energy and fatigue.

Their level of life satisfaction decreases, people have difficulties carrying out their daily life activities. Patients with dysthymia may have chronic pains and headaches. One of the symptoms of this type of depression is that people feel like they were born with the blues. They feel that they have always lived like this and always will. This type of depression can change to major depression if not timely diagnosed and treated.

• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also called seasonal depression

This type of depression is characteristic of northern parts of the world. People with this disorder experience depression symptoms during a particular time of the year. Most people have SAD during the late autumn and winter, when there is less sun and the days are shorter. However, there are also some people who experience the same SAD symptoms during late spring and summer.

Scientists believe that SAD may be a type of depression caused by genetics. It is found to run in some families. It also may be caused by chemical brain changes during the seasonal change. SAD manifests itself through symptoms such as constant fatigue, sleepiness, a hard time waking up, sadness, feelings of empty life, a desire to die, and suicidal thoughts. This depressive disorder can greatly impact people’s life and decrease their life satisfaction and performance. Women are most likely to suffer from this type of depressive disorder.

• Bipolar disorder (BD), formerly called manic depression

This type of depressive disorder has very clear symptoms. It includes all the classic clinical depression symptoms, but also other ones. The name of this disorder is “Bipolar”, and it means that a person with this condition swings in his or her moods and emotions between two poles. On one end is depression and on the other end is hype. During the low episode a person with bipolar disorder experiences all the clinic depression symptoms, including sadness, suicidal thoughts, lack of energy and other emotional, mental and physical problems caused by depression.

On the high peak of the bipolar disorder cycle, a person is full of energy, ideas and plans. People with BD get very active and even creative in their undertakings. They expand socially. They feel on good, happy, full of life and strength.

Some people may also experience a mixed condition of feeling both low and high depression impacts at the same time. This condition is called a mixed state. The mood swings do not occur rapidly; in most cases, the changes come slowly. Still, a person lives a life of emotional and mental roller coaster that produces negative impacts on her or his life.

Both states of bipolar disorder can cause aggressive behavior, irritation, sadness, or suicidal thoughts or acts. Even though this type of depression can occur at a very young age, it can usually be diagnosed when a person reaches the age of 25-40 years. By this age the symptoms of bipolar depression become more obvious and cycles become more regular.

As you can see, there are many different types of depression that result in a wide range of signs and symptoms. It is crucial to properly diagnose the type of depression someone is suffering from in order to be able to treat it properly. There are many ways to treat depression, that are not limited to anti-depressants and psychiatric consultations; you can also find a good depression treatment program to help yourself with your depression.

Depression is a mental disorder that can affect both men and women. However, it has to be stated that according to research, this mental disorder is more prevalent in females than in males. Another fact about depression is that the signs of depression in women tend to be different than in men. There are also different causes that lead to depression in women and men.

What is depression? Depression is not just feeling sad and depressed from time to time, which is a very common condition. On the contrary, a depressive disorder is capable of affecting the entire life of a person. It can decrease work or social life performances, cause physical health problems, ruin relationships, etc. Symptoms of depression in women can vary according to the type of depression a woman is suffering from: the signs of major depressive disorder will not be the same as the symptoms of mild clinical depression, and postpartum depression symptoms will also not be the same.

Women in depression

The most common signs of depression in women include a sense of loss, sadness, guilt, weakness and hopelessness. A depressed woman starts feeling incapable to cope with life and go on with its daily routine tasks. The level of stress endurance in depressed women rapidly drops down.

Depression may also manifest through changes in eating and sleeping habits. Insomnia, which is the lack of sleep and inability to sleep, is one of its signs. Or a depressed woman may start oversleeping and having a hard time getting up in the morning, feeling sleepy throughout the day. This is a sign of atypical depression and this type of depression is prevalent for women.

As far as eating habits are concerned, a depressed woman may lose appetite, become anorexic and lose body weight. An atypical depression sign is overeating and gaining weight. Increased anxiety, irritability, anger, crying fits, emotional storms and outbursts are also common depression symptoms in women.

Most women with depression experience a loss of energy and fatigue. They feel unable to cope with their daily tasks, let alone life challenges. They also experience an increased emotional vulnerability and difficulty at making decisions.

Among the physical signs of depression in women, there are headaches, stomachaches, muscle pain, and digestion problems. As there are no physical causes or illnesses which produce these symptoms, they cannot be treated by medications. Most doctors would run blood tests to detect whether those symptoms are caused by depression or not.

There are many causes of depression in women; some of them are emotional, mental and social, while others are physical. Women go through extreme hormonal changes during the course of their lives. Those hormonal roller coasters start happening during the puberty period. They occur during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, breast feeding period and pre-menopause period. This might be the reason why depression is prevalent in women.

As you may clearly see, depression is not an enjoyable condition. The good news is that it is treatable. However, if not diagnosed and treated timely, depression can turn into a life threatening foe, as another one of depression signs is having suicidal thoughts and acts. People in depression tend to have reoccurring thoughts of death. They tend to develop reckless and self destructive behaviors, such as drinking, using drugs, or carrying out socially unacceptable activities.

There are different types of depressive disorders and some of them are prevalent in women. One of these disorders is SAD (seasonal affective disorder), which basically means that someone is getting constant blues during the fall and winter seasons. Some people might also experience SAD during spring and summer. Again, women are more prone to this kind of depression. Its signs are feeling slowed down, sad and hopeless.

Depression is not a disorder one can live with and enjoy life. It manifests itself in a rapid decrease of enjoyment of once pleasant activities. It may also lead to social withdrawal, relationship problems and loneliness. However, when timely diagnosed and treated, it can be fully gotten rid of and the joy of life can be restored.

Even though many consider depression to be an adult problem, children or teenagers can also suffer from it. Depression in children and teens is usually harder to diagnose. Most parents, being unaware of the possibility of this mental disorder, do not take their children or teenagers to doctors for examination. According to the latest research, more and more teenagers, both boys and girls, experience depression, and here are the main signs of depression in teenage girls.

According to research, the level of depression in children before puberty is the same for girls and for boys. The situation changes rapidly during puberty and depression becomes prevalent for teenage girls. Most symptoms of depression in teenage girls will be the same as for adults, as there are some general depression signs for people of any age group. These symptoms of depression in teenagers include anxiety, sadness and a loss of interest for daily life or once enjoyable activities. To be acknowledged as clinical depression, this mental and emotional state has to last for at least 2 consecutive weeks.

Insomnia or sleep disorders is another depression sign in teenage girls. People with this symptom have a hard time falling asleep, waking up early in the morning. They usually do not get enough sleep, which leads to a constant lack of energy, fatigue and irritation. This depression symptom is also quite common for teenage girls. However, one can also deal with an atypical depression symptom, such as oversleeping. A person with this depression sign feels sleepy throughout the day, has a hard time waking up and getting out of bed. She might find it difficult to start the day and experience difficulties handling daily tasks and activities.

Another sign of depression in teenage girls is the change in socialization habits. Most teenagers are sociable. However, when depressed, they tend to withdraw from their social circle. This leads to feelings of loneliness and furthers their depression condition. Many teenage girls tend to fall into major depression, which is a more severe form of depressive disorders. It can last for a long period of time or re-occur after the first incident. This disorder may be disabling, in which case the teenage girl does no longer enjoy any activity, becomes unable to work or cope with daily tasks, and finds it hard to make decisions.

Major depression may lead to suicidal thoughts or acts. Teenage girls in this state may try to hurt themselves or others. They may also be prompted to reckless behaviors, such as drinking, using drugs, having unprotected sex, etc. This is one of the reasons why parents of teenage girls should know depression symptoms and take their children for examination if they can spot a combination of common depression signs.

Often, depression may cause several physical manifestations, which might be easily taken for the symptoms of other medical conditions. Headaches, muscle pains, chronic pains or stomachaches are among such symptoms. To determine whether these symptoms are caused by depression or by other illnesses, a doctor may run some blood tests. If these physical symptoms are caused by depression, no drug treatment would be effective at curing them.

Fits of crying or anger outbursts are also listed among depression signs in teenage girls. Most parents might think that these are normal manifestations for girls during puberty. However, depression is not a normal part of growing up. In teenage girls, it reaches its peak at 18 or 19 years of age, when their lives rapidly change and the demand for growing up becomes urgent.

Depression makes growing up even harder. Once experienced, it may reoccur several times throughout the life time of a person. To avoid dealing with major depression or its severe manifestations, this disorder should be timely diagnosed and treated.

Many people who are having a mood swing will tell their friends that they feel depressed. But what is depression exactly? How can we know the difference between clinical depression and having the blues? And how do we know if someone has mild or severe depression? Let’s take an in-depth look at depression, the different types of depressive disorders, what kind of people get affected, the causes of depression, some statistics and how to recover from depression.

Table of Contents:

• What is clinical depression?

• Different Types of Depression

• Who Experiences Depressive Disorders?

• Depression Statistics

• Main Causes of Depression

• Depression Recovery

What is clinical depression?

Depression is a very commonly dealt with mental health condition. Most people face it at least once in their lives, directly or through a relative or a friend. However, some of us may not know that they suffer from it. As a rule, depression does not start fast, and we could say that someone is having a depressive disorder when his mood swings last more than 2 weeks and affect his daily activities.

Depression is a disorder which may affect not only the emotional or mental condition of people, but it can also express itself through various physical symptoms. Most commonly dealt with depression manifestations are sadness, constant pessimism, bad mood, loss of hope, and a sense of inability to deal with daily life issues. While some people may experience all of the above mentioned as well as many other depression symptoms, other people experience only a few of them.

People may start losing or gaining weight, have insomnia or may have a hard time getting up. They start finding it hard to perform ordinary tasks. They seem to lose interest in their daily occupations; their stress resistance level rapidly decreases. People stop enjoying their lives, their hobbies, their families, etc.

Finally, a person starts feeling as if she or he does not have enough physical energy or inner power to go on with life. If depression is not diagnosed and treated properly, it may disable a person. Suicidal thoughts or attempts to end one’s life may also be among the manifestations or consequences of depression. A person may also start developing various physical symptoms of depression, such as headaches, back pain, and stomachaches. As a rule, these pains cannot be treated with medications as they do not have any physical causes.

Depression may also manifest itself through the feeling of guilt. A person may have a hard time sensibly evaluating his or her own personality and actions, as well as the world around him or her. Making decisions may turn into a painful and stressful process for someone with depression.

Most people, when they read about depression, may immediately diagnose it as their condition. Our fast pace of life predetermines a high level of stress and frustration. This is why most people experience such ‘depression’ symptoms from time to time. However, you do not have depression every time you feel sad or frustrated. Again, depression is a mental disorder which lasts for at least two weeks. If someone has got the blues for a couple of days, it does not mean that this person suffers from depression.

What is Depression: Different Types of Depression

It is very important to understand that depression may vary depending on its causes, symptoms and severity. There are several types of depression. The most commonly dealt with type of depression is major depression, also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression. Other forms of depression include atypical depression, bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and dysthymia. Let’s take a closer look at major depression, dysthymia and bipolar disorder.

• Major Depression (also called Clinical Depression)

This condition may be diagnosed to a person who persists having depression symptoms for more than 2 weeks. The manifestations of this type of depression include most of the above listed symptoms, such as loss of sleep or tendency to oversleep, sadness, frustration, loss of body mass or gaining weight, etc. This type of depression may come to mild, moderate or severe extent. Each stage of major depression requires different treatment approaches. See Major depressive disorder symptoms for more information.

The most severe stage of major depression may be completely disabling for a person. It may eventually lead to suicide.

• Dysthymia

This type of disorder is a chronic depression. It may not be manifested as obviously as major depression. As a rule, it is not disabling, but it causes significant mental, emotional and physical sufferings. Some people with this condition may fall into more severe stages of major depression. This type of depression is most often overlooked by people.

• Bipolar Disorder (also called Bipolar Depression)

This type of depression is not so commonly dealt with. It is also called bipolar depression or manic depressive disorder. The main characteristic of bipolar disorder is rapid swifts of mood. A person gets on a sort of emotional and mental roller coaster; they go from high (mania) to low (depression). During mania, a person feels an inflow of energy and ideas. During this time a patient may have difficulty to properly evaluate life circumstances and to make the right decisions.

Sometimes, during this stage of bipolar disorder, a person becomes very active socially, gets on various endeavors, and manifests odd social behavior. During the depressed stage, a person may experience a lack of energy together with all the traditional depression symptoms.

What is Depression: Who Experiences Depressive Disorders?

• Men

Even though men do not suffer from depression as often as women do, they still deal with this problem often. Depression in men is not diagnosed as often as in women because men tend to keep their feelings and mental difficulties inside. They avoid sharing them in public, with their families or even with their doctors. Anger, irritability, hopelessness or loss of sleep may be the symptoms of depression in men.

• Women

Women get diagnosed with depression more often than men from the age of 15. Partially, women suffer from depression more often because of hormonal imbalances in their bodies. Women go through a series of significant hormonal readjustments during menstrual cycle, pregnancy, breastfeed and premenopausal period.

There are many different symptoms of depression in women, including increased anxiety, overeating, gaining weight, oversleeping, and difficulty in making decisions. Most women struggle with life and work balance, which may contribute to factors affecting the onset of depression. The desire to be a perfect wife, mother and worker may end up in frustration and depression.

The highest depression rate for women is among separated or divorced females, as well as unhappily married ones.

• Seniors

Sometimes, depression in seniors is not diagnosed timely. It could be mistaken for aging processes and health problems. Elderly people deal with dramatic changes in their lives, including the loss of their friends, health disorders, etc. All these factors may lead to the development of depression, which is not a normal part of the aging process.

• Children and Teens

Depression in children or teens is often mistaken for the natural process of growing up and puberty changes. Even though it may be caused by hormonal changes during the puberty years, young children and teens may suffer from depression due to other reasons. Clinical depression is not a normal attribute of growing up, thus it should be timely diagnosed and treated. See our articles about Symptoms of depression in teenagers and Childhood depression symptoms for more information.

Some Depression Statistics

Medical scientists have conducted studies about depression in many countries of the world. It has been stated that U.S. statistics on depression pretty much reflect the world’s statistics for this disorder. While monitoring patients with depressive disorders, scientists have come to the conclusion that over the last 7 decades more people started to have re-occurring depression incidents during their lifetime.

In the United States, women tend to suffer from depression more than men. Statistics show that in their lifetime, 20% of women will experience a major depressive disorder (clinical depression), versus 12% of men. In adults, the age of 25 to 44 is the peak for depressive disorders. Some of these depression episodes are associated with an illness, while others are caused by life circumstances.

However, until the age of 15 to 18, children of both sexes tend to have equal rates of depression disorders. According to a study, the percentage of children and teens who suffer from depression are as follows: 0.9% of preschool-aged children, 1.9% of school-aged children, and 4.7% of adolescents.

Main Causes of Depression

There is no proven scientific data as to the causes of depression. No one really knows what causes this mental disorder. Scientists have found out that in some cases a depression may be caused by biological factors or by genetics. There are certain types of depression that run in families. According to studies, people within the same family who develop bipolar disorder in each generation have a different genetic profile than those who don’t suffer from this disorder.  However, this does not mean that all people with this different profile suffer from this type of depression, as there are other factors involved in the onset of bipolar depression.

There are also many psychological and social factors which may cause depression. However, most commonly, scientists believe that depression is caused by a combination of all or some of these factors. This is called a bio-psycho-social theory of depression causes.

Depression is not just a behavioral change in people. It also involves physical as well as mental changes in people’s brain structure. Thus, depression has some physical consequences, which impact the overall physical wellbeing of an affected person. Sometimes, a depressive disorder might be tightly linked to physical illnesses, such as cancer, heart diseases or hormonal disorders.

Depression Recovery

Depression recovery starts with the recognition of one’s disorder. Unless depression is diagnosed and acknowledged by the person, it cannot be effectively treated. A person has to recognize that all those negative emotions and thoughts are caused by depression. In most cases, people do not have much ground for feeling so sad or depressed. This could become an eye opener and a first step on the way to getting better.

Breaking up large tasks into smaller ones and making a step-by-step plan of carrying them out can also help to cope with depression. One may feel unable to cope with large assignments that seem to consume too much energy, while smaller ones are easier to handle.

Mood swings can represent one of the biggest depression problems. If one understands their cause, it becomes easier to cope with them. However, such mood swings can cause a negative impact on the decision making process. This is why it would be best to postpone key decisions until after one’s condition improves.

Depression is a slowly developing disorder. The same slow process for improvement should be expected during treatment. It is very unlikely to expect a rapid positive change in one’s emotional or physical condition.

Friends and family of the depression affected person can also do a lot to improve his or her condition. Sometimes, relatives and close friends do not realize the need of the depressed person for help. Therefore, a person with depression should ask for help. This way, positive lifestyle changes can be introduced into his or her life more easily.

There are also a number of changes that should be made. Depression often affects people’s eating and sleeping habits. It is the right time to develop healthy eating habits. Consuming such foods like vegetables and fruits can help improve both the physical health and the emotional state of a person. It is also important to get enough sleep and to have some physical activity. Exercise can boost energy levels of someone with depression. Family members and friends can provide valid assistance in setting up and keeping a healthy lifestyle.

The consistent introduction of positive thinking patterns could represent another aspect of depression treatment. Substituting negative thoughts with positive ones cannot happen overnight. It should be done on a constant basis over a long period of time. Various relaxation and stress managing techniques can also help to eliminate negative perceptions and thoughts.

Getting your family members and friends involved into your positive thinking and living program can help to cope with depression and strengthen your family relationships. A person in depression needs lasting relationships with his or her social circle. In this case, recovery from depression can be attained faster.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) or major depression is also referred to as clinical depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, this form of depression affects 6.7% of the America population over age 18, and it is estimated that between 20% and 25% of people may go through an episode of major depressive disorder during their lifetime.

Depression is defined to be the psychological state of mind in which the ‘self’ ego incorporates extreme pessimism to the extent that it affects the person’s whole well-being. Major depression occurs in men, women, teens and children. The symptoms of major depressive disorder will vary according to the sex and the age of a person.

Someone can be said to suffer from a major depressive disorder when his mood changes from his normal mood and when this has an impact on his performance in his everyday life, during at least 2 weeks.

Fortunately, there is a way to immediately stop your self-denial and procrastination and change your destructive way of thinking. It is very simple yet incredibly effective. Click here to learn more.

Clinical depression can be caused by many factors which primarily include having a very low self-esteem, which is usually the case for teens; emotional shock, like rejection and sudden death of a family member or a close friend; or in rare cases, an aftermath of a traumatic experience.

As it raises serious health concerns and can be indirectly fatal, monitoring major depressive disorder symptoms is always crucial. The most common signs of major depression include a combination of the following;

• Extensive Pessimism

People with clinical depression frequently encounter feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and hopelessness, which can even lead to self-hatred. Their ‘self’ ego or their concept of themselves becomes unclear and negative and so they think of themselves as ‘unworthy’ of existence. This may even lead to thoughts of possible suicide.

It is also important to take note that a low self-esteem may not only be a cause but may also already belong to the symptoms of major depressive disorder. The boundary for this case is not really defined as being negative is always brought out by not having self-confidence.

• Moodiness and Lack of Focus

People who experience a major depressive disorder always find themselves thinking about their experience. They are distracted and preoccupied, to the extent that they become unaware of their surroundings. Moreover, they become irritable and short tempered; this is especially the case for children.

Their motivation, interest and pleasure diminish and they tend to withdraw from social affairs. They also experience ‘slowed movement’ in which their responses and actions are slower than usual. They cannot focus and are not able to think clearly, and as a result they cannot perform effective decisions and often resort to pessimistic impulse.

• Changes in eating and sleeping habits

Major depression is a mental disorder. It can alter the normal hormonal balance of the endocrine system causing the brain and other glands to perceive incorrect signals. This causes more imbalances in the body like having a faster/slower rate of metabolism and sleeping disorders.

People with clinical depression often experience extensive gain or loss of weight. This is brought about by hormonal imbalances discussed earlier. Their rate of metabolism is altered and as a result, their appetite also becomes irregular. At times they may eat a lot though sometimes they may eat nothing at all. A sudden gain or loss of weight is then a result.

Irregularities in sleeping like being unable to sleep or sleeping too much also are experienced by a person under a major depressive disorder. This is also a result of the said hormonal imbalance. Children also often experience nightmares at night.

Major depression may also trigger attacks of asthma, hypertension or stroke, especially in older people. General weakness and fatigue are also experienced.

During the course of the disorder, people tend to find ways to alleviate their depression. They often resort to alcohol, or sometimes even drugs. Furthermore, people under a major depressive disorder may repress their feelings through anger and violence, as they may see others as the cause of their misery. These symptoms however are more often seen in men.

In some cases, work can also be their way of repression, however their performance remains dull, and they tend to engage on activities that can further repress their depression like gambling after work.

Isolation is also a repressive action performed by some individuals. They tend to spend time alone and think about themselves. This however, might induce negative effects as they are emotionally unstable.

As with any other illnesses, being able to track the main major depressive disorder symptoms as early as possible is the key to minimizing the risk of having other health complications. Remember that emotional health is also part of your well-being, and you should always take care of it.