When it is more than a "bad day".

Depression Basics

What Is Depression?

Everyone at one time or another has felt depressed, sad, or blue. Being depressed is a normal reaction to loss, life's struggles, or an injured self-esteem. But sometimes the feeling of sadness becomes intense, lasting for long periods of time and preventing a person from leading a normal life. Depression that has these characteristics is a treatable medical condition called major depressive disorder, one of a number of depressive illnesses. Types of depression include: Major depression, chronic depression (dysthymia), bipolar depression, and seasonal depression (seasonal affective disorder or SAD).

According to a report from the National Institutes of Mental Health, nearly 18.8 million Americans over the age of 18 suffer from major depression. Suicide, closely linked to depression, is the third leading cause of death in 10- to 24-year-olds. Unfortunately, most people never seek treatment. Left undiagnosed and untreated, depression can worsen, lasting for years and causing untold suffering, and possibly even result in suicide.

What Are the Symptoms of Depression?

These are some of the signs and symptoms of depression that you should be aware of:

Sadness
Loss of energy
Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness
Loss of enjoyment from things that were once pleasurable
Difficulty concentrating
Difficulty making decisions
Increased need for sleep
Insomnia or excessive sleep
Unexplained aches and pains
Stomachache and digestive problems
Decreased sex drive
Sexual problems
Headache
A change in appetite causing weight loss or gain
Thoughts of death or suicide
Attempting suicide
Are There Different Types of Depression?

Although these signs and symptoms of depression are characteristic, they can occur in different patterns, like seasonal symptoms, or in association with manic features.

Types include:

Major depression
Bipolar Depression
Chronic Depression or Dysthymia
Seasonal Depression
Psychotic Depression
Postpartum Depression
How Do I Get Help for Depression?

If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of depression, seek your health care provider's advice for treatment or referral to a mental health professional.

Warning Signs of Suicide

If you or someone you know is demonstrating any of the following warning signs, contact a mental health professional right away or go to the emergency room for treatment.

Thoughts or talk of death or suicide
Thoughts or talk of self-harm or harm to others
Previous attempts of suicide
Aggressive behavior or impulsiveness
All mentions of suicide or violence must be taken seriously. If your intend or have a plan to commit suicide, go to the emergency room for immediate treatment.

Copyright ©2003 content, The Cleveland Clinic.

          Anxiety Disorders

Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.)

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression triggered by the shorter periods of light in winter. Annual episodes usually begin in the fall and end in March or April, with the coming of spring. According to NIMH estimates, some 10 million Americans have SAD. Sufferers feel helpless, guilt-ridden and have difficulty thinking and making decisions. They typically crave carbohydrate-rich foods and gain weight during the cold months, and spend many more hours asleep, yet feel chronically exhausted. SAD often improves with phototherapy, a treatment that involves sitting in front of a specially designed light box for about an hour every day during the wintertime. Severe SAD may require both phototherapy and antidepressant medications.

Symptoms

The symptoms of SAD usually recur regularly each Winter, starting between September and November and continuing until March or April, and a diagnosis can be made after three or more consecutive Winters of symptoms, which include a number of the following:

Sleep problems: Usually desire to oversleep and difficulty staying awake but, in some cases, disturbed sleep and early morning wakening
Lethargy: Feeling of fatigue and inability to carry out normal routine
Overeating: Craving for carbohydrates and sweet foods, usually resulting in weight gain
Depression: Feelings of misery, guilt and loss of self-esteem, sometimes hopelessness and despair, sometimes apathy and loss of feelings
Social problems: Irritability and desire to avoid social contact
Anxiety: Tension and inability to tolerate stress
Loss of libido: Decreased interest in sex and physical contact
Mood changes: In some sufferers, extremes of mood and short periods of hypomania (overactivity) in spring and autumn.

Most sufferers show signs of a weakened immune, system during the Winter, and are more vulnerable to infections and other illnesses. SAD symptoms disappear in Spring, either suddenly with a short period (e.g., four weeks) of hypomania or hyperactivity, or gradually, depending on the intensity of sunlight in the Spring and early Summer.

In sub-syndromal SAD, symptoms such as tiredness, lethargy, sleep and eating problems occur, but depression and anxiety are absent or mild. SAD may begin at any age but the main age of onset is between 18 and 30 years.

Dealing with S.A.D.

Daily exercise has been shown to be helpful, particularly when done outdoors. For those who tend to crave sweets during the winter, eating a balanced diet may help one's mood. Conversely, as the mood improves, craving for sweets may abate.

Bright Light Therapy is one of the most common ways to counteract the symptoms of SAD. There are many lights out on the market, but here are a few things to look for when searching for a lamp. UV-shielded for safety; EMF-shielded for safety; Flicker-free.