What Is Clinical Depression?

December 6th, 2009 Posted in Depression

The official psychiatric designation is “major depressive disorder,” but the general populace still thinks of it as “clinical depression.” This type of depression is far more than simply being “a bit down.” Rather, these are the kind of prolonged depressive episodes that take over the sufferer’s life. Symptoms of clinical depression include both physical things like loss of sex drive, lack of concentration and weight gain, as well as emotional manifestations like low concentration, lack of self-esteem, guilt and sadness, or even thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

Things we tend to think of separately, like post partum depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), are actually sub-categories of major depressive disorder. One of the distinguishing features of all the categories is that the pervasive low mood lasts for at least two weeks or even longer, and the patient experiences at least five of the typical clinical depression symptoms. That’s the point where it’s clear that this is more than simply being “a bit down,” and therapy and treatment become necessary.

Treatments usually recommended for major depressive disorder are medication, psychotherapy, or even electroconvulsive therapy in severe cases. However, many new treatments have been put forward in recent years, some of which haven’t yet gained complete legitimacy in the eyes of the public or in the estimation of physicians. One that has done so, though, is light therapy, now used to treat SAD. But other natural treatments, like the herb St. John’s Wort or the Chinese practice of acupuncture, have both proponents and critics undecided.

Getting treatment of some sort, though, is crucial. Whether it’s alternative, psychiatric or medical treatments, the person usually needs help to overcome or manage the illness. It is helpful if they can find a therapist who can make a thorough assessment of potential physical causes (genetic tendencies, or some other disease throwing the system out of balance), emotional triggers like bereavement, or a past history of trauma. When everything from alcohol to lack of sunlight to prior sexual abuse can swirl around the major depressive disorder, the sufferer is most fortunate if their doctor is part therapist and part sleuth, and can discover the right causes and recommend the right treatments.

Jeremy Larson is a foremost expert in the natural cures for acid reflux field. His work has been extensively published in various online publications in the areas of acid reflux. For more information on the treatment, visit RemedyForAcidReflux.com.