Facts About Severe Depression

You often hear someone say, "I feel depressed." That person may be feeling sad about the death of a friend, a job loss or a missed opportunity. This type of depression, called "situational depression" is a reaction to a single event and will typically ease after a reasonable amount of time. However, severe depression, also called clinical or major depression, is a deep, overwhelming feeling of doom and sadness that is with you no matter what your circumstances are. Severe depression is a debilitating mental disorder that typically will not resolve itself without professional medical treatment.

Symptoms

• If you have severe depression, you feel a "cloud" of despair and sadness over you at all times. You feel hopeless, as if you have nothing to look forward to and you feel completely helpless to remedy your situation. You may feel as if you have lost the ability to feel joy and pleasure; you may lose all interest in your family and friends, your job and activities that once pleased you. Other symptoms of severe depression include weight fluctuation, sleep disturbance, loss of energy, loss of concentration, memory problems, psychomotor disruption and feelings of self-hatred, worthlessness or guilt.

Cause

• According to the Mayo Clinic, researchers agree that severe depression is most likely the result of a combination of genetic, biological and environmental factors. Genetics has been found to be a likely culprit in forming a predisposition for depression. Mental illness tends to run in families. If you have a parent or close relative with depression, you are at a higher risk for developing the illness. Biologically speaking, much evidence has been found to suggest that changes in brain structure and neurotransmitter levels afflict people with depression. Last, environmental stresses are believed to play a large part in triggering the onset of depression.

Depression and Suicide

• According to the Help Guide, depression poses a major risk for suicide. Thoughts of death and contemplation of suicide are common symptoms of depression, and the hopelessness that is typically characteristic of depressed people can only spur on the desire for death. A suicidal person will very often give warning signs or even verbalize his intention to take his own life. Signs like this should never be ignored; always take them seriously by intervening and getting the suicidal person professional help.

Risk Factors

• Having a genetic or biological predisposition for depression doesn't mean that you will become depressed. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are certain "risk factors" that can trigger the first depressive episode, in essence, kicking off your depression. Risk factors include poverty, substance abuse, prescription medication, physical illness or disability, death of a loved one, suicide of a close relative, childhood trauma or abuse or financial difficulties.

Diagnosis

• Your doctor will first do a complete physical exam to rule out any physiological reason for your condition. You will then be referred to a mental health practitioner. According to Depression Guide, your mental health practitioner will make a diagnosis based on your symptoms, as outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), and on psychological tests such as the Beck Depression Inventory.

Treatment

• Fortunately, severe depression is treatable. The most common treatment for depression is a combination of medication and psychotherapy (talk therapy). Typically your mental health practitioner will prescribe an antidepressant such as Prozac, Paxil or Zoloft. You should begin to feel the positive effects of the medication within two to six weeks; however, if the medication does not appear to be working, if you experience unpleasant side effects or have an allergic reaction, your doctor will adjust your dosage or change your prescription. This is not unusual, so be patient. As a complement to drug therapy, psychotherapy will help you to work through any issues you have that may be contributing to your condition. Your therapist will endeavor to help you resolve these issues and to develop a more positive thinking pattern.

Self-Help

• In addition to professional therapy, Help Guide suggests that there are things you can do to help lift yourself out of depression including exercise, a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, relaxation techniques and cultivating supportive relationships, whether they be new friendships or a depression support group.