Major depressive disorder or clinical depression is one of the most severe and common forms of depression. The World Health Organization has predicted that major depressive disorder will be the top cause of the burden of disease worldwide by 2030.
Clinical depression is more than just a bout of blues – and it’s not a weakness that you can simply snap out of.
Now the question is what clinical depression is like, andwhat does it mean to be in depression or have a depressed mood? Let’s learn more about this and where you can go for clinical depression treatment in Richmond, Martinsville, and Danville, VA.
Clinical Depression: What Are Its Symptoms?
Clinical depression is a medical condition in which you feel persistent sadness, irritability, and loss of interest in things you once used to enjoy.
So, being in a depressed mood or having depression means you have intense feelings of sadness that stay for an extended period – most of the day and nearly every day.
Given below are the symptoms of major depressive disorder that help mental health professionals diagnose it.
- A feeling of sadness, emptiness, hopelessness, or tearfulness
- Loss of interest or pleasure in approximately all the normal day-to-day activities, such as sex, sports, and hobbies that you once used to enjoy.
- Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased food cravings and weight gain.
- Disturbed sleep cycle, which means you either experience insomnia or sleep too much.
- An outburst of anger, irritability, or frustration, even over trivial matters
- Lack of energy and fatigue, such as even small tasks take extra effort.
- Restlessness, agitation, and anxiety
- Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
- Slowed ability to think, speak or have body movements.
- Trouble remembering things, making decisions, and concentrating.
- Unexplained physical health problems, such as headaches, backaches, etc.
- Frequent thoughts of suicide or death.
In some people, the above-mentioned symptoms are so severe that they cause noticeable problems in daily activities, such as school, work, and/or relationships with others.
Depression symptoms may also vary according to age.
Symptoms in Children and Adolescents
Usually, the signs and symptoms of clinical depression in children and adolescents are like those in adults. However, in some cases, these may be different and may include:
In Young Children: Sadness, clinginess, irritability, aches, and pain, being underweight or refusing to go to school.
In Adolescents: Poor academic performance, substance abuse, social withdrawal, sadness and irritability, feeling misunderstood and worthless, self-harm, and anger.
Symptoms in Older Adults
Older adults think that feeling sad and depressed is a normal part of growing older, which is why depression often goes undiagnosed in them.
If you belong to this age group and have signs of depression, including the ones given below, seek medical care.
- Pain and aches in the body
- Personality changes
- Difficulty remembering things.
- Loss of appetite, sleep problems, and loss of interest in sex that is not caused by some other medical condition or some medications.
- Suicidal thinking
- Avoidance of social interactions
Major Depressive Disorder Symptoms and Treatment in Richmond, Martinsville, and Danville, VA
If you or your loved one is experiencing persistent sadness and loss of interest in day-to-day activities, contact our compassionate providers at EPIC Health Partners. Our team of experienced and compassionate mental health providers thoroughly assesses mental health concernsand provides clinic-based and community-based care. We also offer outpatient therapy and telepsychiatry services as just a few of our many services to people of all ages.
To schedule an appointment with our mental health providers, call us today at (434) 835-4601 or use our convenient and secure online request form.
If you or your loved one is having suicidal thoughts, dial 988 to reach out to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or contact immediately 911 and/or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll-free at (800) 273-TALK (8255). Alternatively, text “HOME” to the text number 741-741.
