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Most of us know at least one person who has been diagnosed with depression. Maybe you think that you may have depression? Do your emotions fit the criteria for depression? Clinical depression affects millions of people. Understanding what depression is can be a first step towards getting the right help. Let's look at some of the facts.
All of us experience blue moods once in a while. We all experience feelings of sadness. It is just a normal part of going through life. When those blue moods turn into a dark heavy persistent cloud, and when those sad and hopeless feelings become your predominant feelings, you may indeed be suffering from depression.
Depression is an illness, a mental disorder that overwhelms your mind and body. It is not a transient mood that can be dismissed. The victim of depression is powerless to command it to leave. It changes how you think and how you feel. It essentially changes who you are and affects how you interact with others.
Normal feelings of sadness and that feeling of feeling "blue" and the feelings of depression are very similar. How to tell the difference? Basically it is about time and intensity. The emotions associated with depression will not only be more intense, they are also longer lasting. With depression there is often difficulty to function on a day to day basis.
The threshold for diagnosing depression in terms of time seems to be about two weeks. Being sad and withdrawn for a short period of time is a normal human reaction to significant negative events. However, if your personality and interaction with others fails to return to normal after about two weeks time, then you may have entered a major depressive episode. Depression can last for weeks, months or even years--without treatment.
The good news is depression is treatable. Through a combination of therapy and medication, up to 80 percent of people with depression get better. But treatment takes time and involves some trial and error, so patience is a must.
Depression can happen to anyone. It is not an affliction of those who are weak. Strong people can get depression as well. if you suspect that you may be suffering from depression, remember, the sooner you get help, the sooner you will feel better.
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