Major Depression (Clinical Depression) - WebMD

WebMD gives an overview of clinical -- or major -- depression, including its causes, symptoms, and treatment. MenuMedicalReferenceFeaturesSlideshows&ImagesQuizzesHealthToolsNewsArchiveNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesBlogsVideosMedicationsFindaPsychiatristOverview&CausesSymptoms&TypesDiagnosis&TreatmentRecovering&ManagingFindingHelpADHDAnxiety&PanicDisordersBingeEatingDisorderBipolarDisorderCrisisAssistanceMentalHealthPainManagementPillIdentifierPostpartumDepressionStressManagementSubstanceAbuse&AddictionMoreRelatedTopicsDepressionGuideMenuMedicallyReviewedbySmithaBhandari, MDonSeptember13,2020InthisArticleWhatIsMajororClinicalDepression?WhoIsatRiskforMajorDepression?AreWomenatHigherRiskforMajorDepression?WhatAretheSignsofMajorDepressioninMen?WhatTriggersMajorDepression?HowIsMajorDepressionDiagnosed?HowIsMajorDepressionTreated?CanMajorDepressionBePrevented?Aconstantsenseofhopelessnessanddespairisasignyoumayhavemajordepression,alsoknownasclinicaldepression.Withmajordepression,itmaybedifficulttowork,study,sleep,eat,andenjoyfriendsandactivities.Somepeoplehaveclinicaldepressiononlyonceintheirlife,whileothershaveitseveraltimesinalifetime.Majordepressioncansometimesoccurfromonegenerationtothenextinfamilies,butoftenitmayaffectpeoplewithnofamilyhistoryoftheillness.WhatIsMajororClinicalDepression?Mostpeoplefeelsadorlowatsomepointintheirlives.Butclinicaldepressionismarkedbyadepressedmoodmostoftheday,sometimesparticularlyinthemorning,andalossofinterestinnormalactivitiesandrelationships--symptomsthatarepresenteverydayforatleast2weeks.Inaddition,accordingtotheDSM-5--amanualusedtodiagnosementalhealthconditions--youmayhaveothersymptomswithmajordepression.Thosesymptomsmightinclude:FatigueorlossofenergyalmosteverydayFeelingsofworthlessnessorguiltalmosteverydayImpairedconcentration,indecisivenessInsomniaorhypersomnia(excessivesleeping)almosteverydayMarkedlydiminishedinterestorpleasureinalmostallactivitiesnearlyeveryday(calledanhedonia,thissymptomcanbeindicatedbyreportsfromsignificantothers)RestlessnessorfeelingsloweddownRecurringthoughtsofdeathorsuicideSignificantweightlossorgain(achangeofmorethan5%ofbodyweightinamonth)WhoIsatRiskforMajorDepression?Majordepressionaffectsabout6.7%oftheU.S.populationoverage18,accordingtotheNationalInstituteofMentalHealth.Overall,between20%and25%ofadultsmaysufferanepisodeofmajordepressionatsomepointduringtheirlifetime.Majordepressionalsoaffectsolderadults,teens,andchildren,butfrequentlygoesundiagnosedanduntreatedinthesepopulations.AreWomenatHigherRiskforMajorDepression?Almosttwiceasmanywomenasmenhavemajororclinicaldepression;hormonalchangesduringpuberty,menstruation,pregnancy,miscarriage,andmenopause,mayincreasetherisk.Otherfactorsthatboosttheriskofclinicaldepressioninwomenwhoarebiologicallyvulnerabletoitincludeincreasedstressathomeoratwork,balancingfamilylifewithcareer,andcaringforanagingparent.Raisingachildalonewillalsoincreasetherisk.WhatAretheSignsofMajorDepressioninMen?Depressioninmenissignificantlyunderreported.Menwhosufferfromclinicaldepressionarelesslikelytoseekhelporeventalkabouttheirexperience.Signsofdepressioninmenmayincludeirritability,anger,ordrugandalcoholabuse(substanceabusecanalsobeacauseofdepressionratherthantheresultofit).Suppressingnegativefeelingscanresultinviolentbehaviordirectedbothinwardlyandoutwardly.Itcanalsoresultinanincreaseinillness,suicide,andhomicide.WhatTriggersMajorDepression?Somecommontriggersorcausesofmajordepressioninclude:Lossofalovedonethroughdeath,divorce,orseparationSocialisolationorfeelingsofbeingdeprivedMajorlifechanges--moving,graduation,jobchange,retirementPersonalconflictsinrelationships,eitherwithasignificantotherorasuperiorPhysical,sexual,oremotionalabuseHowIsMajorDepressionDiagnosed?Ahealthprofessional--suchasyourprimarycaredoctororapsychiatrist--willperformathoroughmedicalevaluation.Youmightreceiveascreeningfordepressionataregulardoctor’svisit.Theprofessionalwillaskaboutyourpersonalandfamilypsychiatrichistoryandaskyouquestionsthatscreenforthesymptomsofmajordepression.Thereisnobloodtest,X-ray,orotherlaboratorytestthatcanbeusedtodiagnosemajordepression.However,yourdoctormayrunbloodteststohelpdetectanyothermedicalproblemsthathavesymptomssimilartothoseofdepression.Forexample,hypothyroidismcancausesomeofthesamesymptomsasdepression,ascanalcoholordruguseandabuse,somemedications,andstroke.HowIsMajorDepressionTreated?Majororclinicaldepressionisaseriousbuttreatableillness.Dependingontheseverityofsymptoms,yourprimarycaredoctororapsychiatristmayrecommendtreatmentwithanantidepressantmedication.Theymayalsosuggestpsychotherapy,ortalktherapy,inwhichyouaddressyouremotionalstate.Sometimes,othermedicationsareaddedtotheantidepressanttoboostitseffectiveness.Certainmedicinesworkbetterforsomepeople.Itmaybenecessaryforyourdoctortotrydifferentdrugsatdifferentdosestodeterminewhichmedicineworksbestforyou.Thereareothertreatmentoptionsforclinicaldepression--suchaselectroconvulsivetherapy,alsocalledECTorshocktherapy--thatcanbeusedifdrugsproveineffectiveorsymptomsaresevere. Othertreatmentsfordepressionthatisdifficulttotreatincludeintranasalketamineortranscranialmagneticstimulation(TMS)CanMajorDepressionBePrevented?Onceyouhavehadanepisodeofmajordepression,youareathighriskofhavinganother.Thebestwaytopreventanotherepisodeofdepressionistobeawareofthetriggersorcausesofmajordepression(seeabove)andtocontinuetakingtheprescribedmedicationtoavoidrelapse.Itisalsoimportanttoknowwhatthesymptomsofmajordepressionareandtotalkwithyourdoctorearlyifyouhaveanyofthesesymptoms.NextArticleChronicDepression(Dysthymia)DepressionGuideOverview&CausesSymptoms&TypesDiagnosis&TreatmentRecovering&ManagingFindingHelpMoodDisorders:HowtoRecognizeandTreatThemDealingWithAntidepressantSideEffectsMSandDepression:HowAreTheyLinked?WhatHappensinDepressionTreatment?8FoodsThatHelpFightDepressionCausesofDepression11WarningSignsofaDepressionRelapseTipsforLivingWellWithDepressionDepression:WhyAren'tYouGettingTreatment?AnOverviewofClinicalDepressionAnOverviewofDepressionTreatment-ResistantDepressionCareMajorDepression(ClinicalDepression)TopicsWhatIsDepression?Differencesbetweenfeelingdepressedandfeelingblue.CelebritiesWithDepressionFamouspeoplewho'vestruggledwithpersistentsadness.DepressionMyths&FactsLearnthetruthaboutthisseriousillness.IsYourAntidepressantWorking?Tipstostaythetreatmentcourse.HealthCheckDepressed?AssessYourSymptomsSlideshowFamousFacesWithDepressionArticleMyths&FactsAboutAntidepressantsArticleIsMyTeenDepressed?Article10WarningSignsofSuicideArticleHowDepressionAffectsWomenArticleGuidetoDepressionMedsArticleNaturalDepressionTreatmentsDepression:SignsYourMedicationIsn’tWorkingCelebritiesWithDepression8FoodsThatFightDepressionDetectingDepression:SymptomsPhysicalSignsofDepressionEffectsofUntreatedDepressionHealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBDRethinkMSTreatmentAFib-RelatedStrokesRiskofaFutureDVT/PEIsMyPenisNormal?RelapsingMSOptionsLiverTransplantsSaveLivesFinancePlasticSurgeryBentFingerCausesLivingWithPsoriasis?MissingTeeth?MorefromWebMD5TipstoHelpWithRelapsingMSHowtoThriveWithNarcolepsyReliefforBlockedHairFolliclesPsoriaticArthritisandYourSleepWhatPsoriasisFeelsLikeFirstPsoriaticArthritisFlareTalkingtoYourDoctorAboutRACrohn's:A'Full-Body'DiseaseAvoidingCrohn’sFlaresHealthBenefitsofHempSeedOilLiveBetterWithPsoriaticDiseaseTypesofB-CellTherapyforMS5HealthBenefitsofHempWhyProstateCancerSpreadsLivingwithAdvancedBreastCancerWhereBreastCancerSpreads