Clinical depression diagnosis and treatment

We all experience bad days, in which we feel that nothing falls into place, and that it would have been better to stay in bed all day.

Sometimes, such a day stretches over a week, but the weekend brings with it new energy and eventually we forget what actually was so difficult.

However, for others, the days turn into weeks, their mood does not improve and things get worse to the point that their daily functioning is affected. In such a situation, it is feared that clinical depression is involved.

Not any mood indicates clinical depression; however it is important to know what the major signs are, so that when they appear together, they arouse a reasonable worry that it may exist:

• Complaints about bad mood.
   
• The appearance of feelings of despair and redundancy ("nobody needs me").
   
• Outbursts of crying.
   
• Lack of motivation to work and make progress.
   
• The feeling of being unable to take care of oneself and the lack of mental strength to cope with difficulties.
   
• Losing the will to take part in social and family activities.
   
• Guilt feelings for past events.
   
• The appearance of concentration and attention problems.
   
• Excessive occupation with disasters and death, and suicidal tendencies.
   
• Sleeping problems (difficulty in falling asleep, oversleeping, or nightmares).
   
• Eating problems (lack of appetite or too much appetite).

The influence of clinical depression on fields of life

These characteristics affect daily functioning and every field of life. Looking at the life of a depressed person reveals a sad picture of a person who has difficulty getting up in the morning and sometimes stays whole days in bed, immersed in intense feelings, and losing the will and ability to maintain personal hygiene.

Often, people who suffer clinical depression may lose their job due to absenteeism and poor performance.

A change in status also affects the individual, giving him more reasons for his feelings of self-blame, despair and worthlessness, which are already strong.

Depression is manifested to a significant degree in the social context, mainly in light of losing any interest in social activity, which is expressed in: refusal to see friends, disengagement and troubles with family members, and difficulty in establishing a couple relationships or maintaining it.
 

Treatment of states of clinical depression

Without proper treatment, states of depression may last months or even years.

Even if the depression passes by itself after several months, without proper treatment, leading to full recovery, the chances of its reoccurring are high.

Studies indicate that about 40% of those who suffered from a depressive episode will experience another episode within five years.

Today, there is a large variety of treatments for depression, beginning with psychological treatment that focuses on the sources of suffering, through medical treatment that helps alleviate the symptoms, up to short-term cognitive behavioral treatment that helps to provide fast relief from the bad feelings.

In choosing the appropriate treatment, it is important to consult an experienced professional who is knowledgeable in this area and who is familiar with the kinds of existing treatments.

Such a professional will be able to match the treatment to the duration of the depression, its severity and based on his personal relationships with the patient. Call anytime and we'll be happy to help.