An In-Depth Look at Clinical Depression

Every person goes through some difficulties in life. Ups and downs are a part of every human’s life journey. Nowadays, depression has become a trending topic. Hence, several people fall under the pretense that they are suffering from depression. Positive Reset Mental Health Clinic is here to help.

What is clinical depression?

Depression can range in severity from mild, short-lived episodes of sadness to severe, persistent sadness, lack of motivation, and hopelessness. Clinical depression is a more severe type of depression. This is different from the momentary grief or depression caused by a trauma or a medical condition, such as thyroid disease.

Diagnosis of clinical depression

To diagnose clinical depression, many use therapists use criteria for major depressive disorder symptoms from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association. They can also use several assessment tests, such as Beck Depression Inventory. Signs of clinical depression may include:

   Feelings of sadness, crying, emptiness, or hopelessness
   Outbursts of anger, irritability, or frustration over little things
   Fatigue and lack of energy, so even small tasks require significant efforts
   Decreased appetite and weight loss
   Increased food cravings and weight gain
   Uneasiness, restlessness, or restlessness
   Slower thinking, speech, or body movements
   Loss of interest and low libido your usual activities (such as sex, hobbies, or sports)
   Sleep disorders, including insomnia or sleeping too much
   Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, focusing on past failures, or blaming yourself
   Difficulty with coherent thinking
   Frequent or repeated thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, or suicide
   Unexplained physical and health problems, such as back pain or headaches

Symptoms are usually severe enough to cause significant problems with relationships with others or with daily activities such as work, school, or social activities.

Clinical depression can affect people of all ages, including children. However, clinical symptoms of depression, even when severe, can often be improved with counseling, antidepressants, or a combination of the two.
The diagnosis of clinical depression in this day and age has become easy and systematic. A trained mental health professional can use some diagnostic tools to administer a psychiatric evaluation.

Depression and families

Depression is a generally occurring mental disorder that interferes with a person’s ability to perform everyday tasks. But the consequences don’t stop there. Sometimes depression affects more than the person suffering from it.
Even family members can be affected if someone close to you suffers from depression. A 2016 study published in the journal Issues in Mental Health Nursing found that family members of those with major depression also experienced serious consequences.

To help cope with this situation, family members need to understand not only what depression is but also how it affects the family. By getting educated about the disease and working with each other, you can find the best way to keep everyone healthy.

The stigma attached to clinical depression

Over 50% of mental illness patients don’t get treatment for their disorders. People frequently put off or postpone getting treatment out of fear of receiving unfavorable treatment or losing their jobs and means of support. This is because stigma, discrimination, and prejudice against those with mental illnesses are still major issues for patients get treatment for depression.

It doesn’t matter how overt or subtle stigma, prejudice, or discrimination is toward those with mental illnesses; they can all have negative effects. Understanding what that looks like and knowing how to address and end it can help. People with mental illness are marginalized and subject to discrimination in various ways.

Causes of stigmatization of clinical depression

Incomprehension or fear are frequent causes of stigma. Both things are influenced by inaccurate or misleading media portrayals of mental illness. While the public may accept the medical or genetic nature of a mental health disorder and the need for treatment, a review of studies on stigma reveals that many people still have a negative view of those with mental illness.

Harmful effects of stigmatization of clinical depression
Discrimination and stigmatization may make it more difficult to receive treatment and cause symptoms to worsen. Self-stigma has a detrimental impact on recovery for people with severe mental illnesses, according to a recent comprehensive review of the literature. Effects could consist of;

  Decreased hope

  A lower sense of self

  Increased mental health symptoms

  Difficulties in social interactions

  Reduced likelihood of continuing treatment

  At work, more challenges

  Lack of comprehension on the part of friends, family, coworkers, or others

  Difficulties in finding housing, and fewer opportunities for work, school, or social activities

  Bullying, physical harm, or harassment

  Unwillingness to seek assistance or treatment and a reduced likelihood of sticking with it

  Social exclusion

  Your health insurance does not sufficiently cover your mental illness treatment.

  The conviction that you can’t change your circumstances or that you’ll never be successful in tackling certain challenges

How to tackle stigma related to depression?

   Be open about mental health, for example, by sharing on social media

   Educate yourself and others – respond to misunderstandings or negative comments by sharing facts and experiences. Be careful about language – remind people that language matters

   Promotes equality between physical and mental illness – compare how they treat people with cancer or diabetes. Show compassion to people with mental illness

Conclusion

Clinical depression is a serious and common mental disorder. A trained mental health professional can diagnose it. Stigmatization around depression has made it difficult for the patients of depression as well as their families. Seeking help is the only effective way to combat depression—contact us today.