What Is Depression?

Defining Depression

Depression is a term we hear in society so often that we’ve become desensitized to it. People may complain that they “woke up feeling down and depressed.” We may equate this word with general sadness or unease. But being in a funk is not clinical depression.

Clinical depression is a mental health illness that causes you to feel sad and lose interest in activities you once enjoyed. It causes you to withdraw from loved ones and zaps away your energy. Unlike regular sadness or even grief, depression causes people to feel hopeless about their future. It can even cause you to feel numb, and to dissociate from your daily life. It causes people to question if their life has meaning or purpose. These feelings can even lead to thoughts of suicide.

Many people feel ashamed of having depression. What they don’t know is that depression is a common illness. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in 2017 an estimated 17.3 million adults in the U.S. experienced at least one major depressive episode. Depression affects all ages, genders, ethnic groups, and professions.

If you believe you may be depressed, talk to your doctor. Have them complete a physical to ensure that your symptoms aren’t related to another medical condition, like hypothyroidism. If it’s determined that you need mental health treatment, your doctor can discuss your options with you. The sooner you get assistance, the sooner you will feel better.

Causes of Depression

Depression is not caused by personal weakness. It is not the result of a character flaw. There are a variety of reasons someone might develop depression.

There may be problems with activity levels in certain parts of your brain. The chemicals in your brain called neurotransmitters may be out of balance. These chemicals are the messengers for your body, and some have trouble delivering the message of joy. This can be genetic, or the result of a traumatic brain injury.

Depression may also develop after stressful life events. When an individual suffers from chronic stress or survives trauma such as the death of a family member, a long-term health problem, or a natural disaster, they may experience depression. These life events cause you to question your purpose in life and knock you off balance.

Gravitating toward depression may also be the result of learned behavior. When we grow up around family dysfunction, we learn unhelpful coping behaviors. Through observation and imitation, we may learn that depression is the necessary response to our problems. Joy may not have been reinforced in our family of origin. This conditions us into living in a depressive state.

Symptoms of Depression

Depression symptoms are hard to notice. They can creep up slowly, causing us to get used to them until we are unaware that our barometer for happiness has shifted. Symptoms also vary, so you may confuse them with just feeling “off.”

There are a variety of symptoms one must experience to be considered clinically depressed, but there are two common symptoms to be aware of:

• Feeling sadness or hopelessness nearly every day for at least 2 weeks.

• Losing interest in or not experiencing pleasure from activities you used to enjoy, and feeling this way nearly every day for at least 2 weeks.

Other symptoms to look out for are oversleeping, loss of energy, feeling brain fog, losing focus, or becoming forgetful. These symptoms, or any combination of them, can come and go. This causes us to believe we’re simply feeling the blues.

A serious symptom of depression that demands immediate attention is obsessively thinking about death or suicide. These thoughts could be passive, like wishing you were never born or wondering how your friends and family would get along without you. These thoughts may come in flashes and be fleeting. They may include an active plan to harm yourself or be accompanied by an increase in risky behavior like not looking both ways when crossing the street. If you or someone you care about talks about thoughts or feelings of self-harm, call 911, go to the nearest ER, or call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Treatment for Depression

There are a variety of treatments for depression. Depending on the severity of depression, an individual might be referred to counseling or therapy. More severe or chronic forms of depression will result in the need for antidepressant medicines. Sometimes even lifestyle changes, such as getting more exercise or changing diet, will be advised.

Work with your doctor to find the best treatment for you. It may take a few tries for treatment to work. Medication can take several weeks before making the necessary chemical changes that are needed to affect the brain appropriately. Therapy can also take weeks to start working, and may cause you to feel worse at first because you are being open and vulnerable about your depression. Be patient. Keep following your treatment plan. Be sure to let your health care team know if your symptoms have worsened to the point of thoughts of suicide.

Be aware that some people may need to take medication for depression for the rest of their lives. Similarly to someone with diabetes needing insulin, some people’s brains are unable to activate the chemicals that create joy. The medication is a necessary lifelong treatment that allows them to experience life to the fullest.

Once you begin to feel better, remember that depression can return, so maintain participation in treatment. Depending on how well you feel, your treatment may change. Discuss with your health care team how you may shift your treatment plan, including seeing your therapist twice a week or once a month.

Helping A Loved One With Depression

If your loved one is depressed, the best thing you can do is help them get into treatment and stay in treatment. Educate them and yourself about this illness. Talk to them regularly, so they know they can trust you to be vulnerable. Once they are in treatment, gently encourage them to re-engage in their life. Invite them to do things and see people. Remember not to get upset with them if they can’t. Put judgment away. Their behaviors are part of the illness. Respond to their symptoms with compassion. Recovering from depression is a difficult process.

What did you learn about clinical depression? Let me know in the comment section below!

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