Thirteen Signs of Clinical Depression

Clinical depression is the same as the terms "major depressive disorder" and "unipolar depression." This condition is accompanied by an intense feeling of sadness, melancholy or despair. Such condition of the person results in self-isolation and disruption of the person's daily activities. The signs of clinical depression must be identified early.

This condition is different and more serious than mere anxiety depression that we normally experience from time to time. Having a progressive clinical depression could lead to substance abuse such as drugs and alcohol and self-harm. Worst cases could lead to suicidal ideation.

It's Normal To Get Depressed And Anxious

Depression and anxiety are normal reactions of the human brain and its way of meeting stressing situations head on. It's human's defense mechanism. Nonetheless, a person must know how to bounce back from a cycle of depression and anxiety quickly. It must not take longer than a few days and without help from any types of medications for anxiety and depression.

How To Spot Clinical Depression

If the person has an intense sadness that stems from reasons that happened in the past two months or longer, or is having a melancholic feeling and despair for no apparent reason, it will be best to watch out for the other signs of clinical depression.

Shown here are thirteen signs of clinical depression. If the person experiences a combination of these signs for more than two weeks, it is better to address the situation. Seek professional psychiatric or medical help. Clinical depression can be more easily treated at the earlier stages.

• The concentration of a person with clinical depression is impaired.


• 
  A clinically depressed person is unable to feel pleasure. Even the things that used to please him before seem to have no effect once he is into depression.


• The sleep of a depressed person is disturbed. Once he wakes up in the middle of the night, he finds it hard to fall back to sleep again.


• 
  A depressed person has no appetite for food. Even favorite foods seem to be tasteless.


• The depressed person still feels tired even after sleeping for long hours.


• There is an intense feeling of guilt, hopelessness and helplessness in a depressed person. There is an event that happens in the past that seems to nag the person and caused him not to forgive himself or to feel extremely hopeless.


• At work, the depressed person seems to decline in productivity. He no longer delivers the way he used to.


• 
  There is a remarkable change in the personality of the person that other people might find weird.


• Some people with depression experience extreme promiscuity.


• Others tend to isolate themselves, as if building a world of their own.


• Others resort to substance abuse such as alcohol and drugs.


• A sign of clinical depression in the worst stage is a small voice that continuously nags the person, providing negative thoughts. This small voice is created by the person's continuous self-critical thoughts until it gained momentum and became independent. The person will no longer be able to control it once it has the momentum. It is the reason that causes the person to commit homicidal acts and suicide.


• Some depressed persons want to commit suicide.

Clinical depression is a progressive mental disease. The ability to spot the earlier symptoms of clinical depression and having the proper medical and psychological treatment will prevent the onset of the more serious signs. If the person reaches the latter signs as mentioned above, hospitalization might be necessary to keep him from inflicting self-injuries.

How To Treat Clinical Depression

If you have signs clinical depression, a psychiatrist will conduct different types of tests to know if what you are feeling is just a simple case of normal blues. There are written tests and interviews. After a few visits to a psychiatrist's clinic, he will then know if you have clinical depression or other types of mood disorder. Clinical or major depression requires medications. A psychiatrist may also recommend hospital confinement, especially if the manic behavior is already in an advanced stage.