Depression Information
Clinical depression is a mood disorder, characterized by an intense feeling of sadness, hopelessness and despair, and should not be confused with 'depression' in the sense of normal feelings of unhappiness. Clinical depression is overwhelming misery that impinges on the individual's ability to function and maintain a normal life. Depression can have far reaching effects, and usually consists of feelings of exhaustion, irritability, extreme unhappiness and unwillingness or inability to begin or complete tasks.
The oppressive nature of these feelings can lead sufferers to engage in risky or self-defeating exercises in attempts to numb or distract from the feelings, and long-term depression has been linked to substance abuse and self-harm. In extreme cases, people suffering depression may become suicidal and attempt to take their own lives. Depression can also affect the sufferer's ability to maintain intimate relationships, success at work or in education, and reduce the willingness and ability to spend time with others.
The condition can cause result in a rapid decline in the patient's well being as it can decrease appetite, reduce quality of sleep, encourage excessive smoking and drinking, and discourage emotional connection with others. Depression is usually a temporary complaint, but in some cases symptoms of more serious psychiatric problems can be mistaken for those of depression and these conditions left untreated for long periods. Delerium, dementia and psychosis all have symptoms that are also present in depression, and an assessment by a medical professional is the best way of isolating the cause of any psychological problems.