Depression is a debilitating mental health disorder recognized for its deep sadness and a profound sense of helplessness. A person feeling this way may not understand why they do. Yet, understanding clinical depression, why it happens, and what can be done about it can pave the way for a future that’s brighter. That is something health and wellness therapy can offer.
Understanding Clinical Depression – What Is It?
Depression can range from mild to severe. The term clinical depression describes the more severe form of this condition, sometimes called major depressive disorder or major depression. It’s not the same feeling a person has when a loved one dies, or the type felt when a medical condition creates hormone imbalances.
The most common symptoms of this type of disorder, characterized by the Diastatic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders from the American Psychiatric Association, includes the following:
- Feelings of emptiness and hopelessness.
- Loss of interest in things that cause pleasure, such as habits, sports, activities, or sex
- Difficulty with sleep – either sleeping too much or sleeping very little
- Feelings of anxiety, agitation, restlessness, as well as feelings of guilt
- Self-blame – often shown by fixating on past failures
- Trouble thinking, making decisions, remembering things, or feeling slowed thinking or body movements
In addition to this, many people with clinical depression also experience thoughts of death, suicide, harming others, or wanting to die.
Understanding Clinical Depression and How Serious It Is
Unlike some types of care, such as an anxiety treatment program, most people with major depression need residential treatment. That’s because of the significant amount of risk for developing complications, including self-harm.
The symptoms may be severe enough to be noticeable to other people. That may be people at work or at home. When this is the case, treatment from a professional may be critical and should be obtained as soon as possible.
Clinical Depression Treatment Options
A comprehensive depression treatment program is necessary for many people battling this condition. During treatment, doctors and therapists work to understand the underlying cause of the depression if possible to do so. This may not be easy to determine.
In some cases, their problem relates back to previous trauma or an inability to deal with stress. Some people may have chemical imbalances or a genetic factor that causes them to feel these symptoms. Other times, there is no way to know what the cause is.
Treatment for this type of depression typically requires a combination of medication and therapy. Medications help restore balance and may eliminate many symptoms a person has, giving them the ability to live a healthy lifestyle.
Psychotherapy provides the tools to make that happen. Some types of therapy that may be used include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- Group therapy
- Individual therapy programs
- Family therapy programs
For people with clinical depression, the goal of therapy is to provide resources. For example, it may help a person to understand their depression more fully so they can better recognize symptoms as they begin to occur. From there, a strong component of care comes in the form of teaching strategies to manage those symptoms.
People may be able to learn to recognize negative thought patterns that may lead to poor behaviors. For example, some therapies focus on looking at stress and challenges in a realistic fashion rather than focusing on the only negative outcomes. Coping mechanisms for stress as well as for bad situations, in general, can help people to heal.
At the core of treatment for clinical depression is providing a way back to a level of stability. A person with depression does not have to live like this. There are medications and strategies that can help a person to recover and restore their overall wellness and long-term recovery opportunities.