Clinical Depression

Clinical depression is a serious mental illness that affects your mind and body. It causes disturbances in the way you think, feel and act. If you've said, "I just don't feel like myself anymore", you may suffer from clinical depression.

Do you have the signs of depression?

Understanding Clinical Depression

Suffering from clinical depression is not something you should ignore. You can't just pull yourself together and feel better. The longer you let the symptoms of this mental illness take control over you, the worse life will seem. Life doesn't have to feel so horrible; you can get help to stop the pain of depression.

What Depression Feels Like

If you have depression, you probably have lost interest in activities you used to find enjoyable. You may feel sad, hopeless, helpless and have feelings of guilt. Your sleeping and eating habits may have changed. You may have trouble concentrating, focusing and making decisions. You may also be irrational and engage in risky situations. You may experience headaches, stomachaches or catch colds/flu often.

It may become difficult to function each day. You may not be able to get out of bed, take care of yourself or keep up with your job duties. Nothing seems to matter anymore and you don't care what happens as a result of not going to work or taking care of other responsibilities. You feel like you are losing touch with everything that used to be important to you.

Depression feels like you have a large weight on your shoulders that you carry around with you every day. You feel like life is dreadful, and you just don't want to deal with another day. You may cry often or yell at loved ones because of irritability. On your worst days, you may even have contemplated suicide.

You might have clinical depression if you have felt this way for two weeks or more.

Alcohol and Drug Abuse with Depression

Many individuals who suffer from depression also have an alcohol and drug addiction. For some people, alcohol and drugs contributed to their suffering from depression, while for others alcohol and drugs are how they cope with the symptoms of depression. Treating depression along with the addiction is the best way for you to begin feeling better.

Treatment for Depression

If depression has taken control over your life, it's time to take back that control. If you don't seek treatment, you may feel the way you do for weeks, months or even years. Some people can't bear the strain of depression another day, and they commit suicide. Don't let this happen to you; people love you and care about you even if you don't think so. Treatment is available that will make you feel like yourself again and help you see life filled with opportunity rather than dread.

To seek help for your depression, ask your physician for an evaluation. Your physician will most likely give you a depression assessment. If you fit the criteria, your physician might give you some anti-depressant medication. He or she may also refer you to a counselor for further evaluation from a psychiatrist or psychologist.

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