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clinical depression

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Q: What are the steps for treating clinical depression?
I am a teenager who has clinical depression. What are the steps to treating it? Do I contact my local GP for a check-up or what?

Thanks in advance.
Sorry; I used the word ”clinical’ to differentiate between depression from a dead relative and depression that makes you feel suicidal. I am now aware I’ve used the wrong word to describe the illness.
To those asking who diagnosed me: I self-diagnosed, comparing symptoms of depression found on the Internet to my personal experiences.

A: Hi–I am also a teenager with depression (& anxiety). Yes, contacting your GP would be smart, but If you have a Psych department somewhere in your city, contacting them would probably be smarter. They are the ones that will actually help treat the depression. But I am a little confused though—how were you diagnosed with depression & not have any actions taken? Who diagnosed you???

Medications:
Dozens of medications are available to treat depression. Most people find the best relief of depression symptoms by combining medications and psychotherapy. Some medications for depression are antidepressants that have been specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat depression. Doctors also can use their medical judgment to prescribe other medications that haven’t been FDA approved to treat depression but that may be effective anyway — a common and perfectly legal practice called off-label use.

There are several different types of antidepressants. Antidepressants are generally categorized by how they affect the naturally occurring biochemicals in your brain to change your mood. To determine which antidepressant may be best for you, doctors typically follow general practice guidelines. They may also ask you to take a blood test called the cytochrome P450 test, which can help identify genetic factors that influence your response to certain antidepressants (as well as some other medications).

Other factors that are considered when choosing an antidepressant are your symptoms, your family history of depression, and other conditions you may have. Don’t give up until you find an antidepressant or medication that’s suitable for you — you have a good chance of finding one that works and that doesn’t have intolerable side effects, even if it takes a few tries.

Most antidepressants are equally effective. But some pose a higher risk of serious side effects. Here’s how antidepressants and other medications are generally considered when you’re starting treatment for depression:

Typical first choices. Many doctors start treatment with antidepressants by prescribing an antidepressant known as an SSRI — a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. This is because the side effects of the medications in the SSRI class of antidepressants are generally more tolerable than are those of other types of antidepressants, and they also generally work well. SSRIs include fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa) and escitalopram (Lexapro).

Psychotherapy:

Psychotherapy is another key depression treatment. It’s often used along with medication treatment. Psychotherapy is a general term for a way of treating depression by talking about your condition and related issues with a mental health provider. Psychotherapy is also known as therapy, talk therapy, counseling or psychosocial therapy.

Through these talk sessions, you learn about the causes of depression so that you can better understand it. You also learn how to identify and make changes in unhealthy behavior or thoughts, explore relationships and experiences, find better ways to cope and solve problems, and set realistic goals for your life. Psychotherapy can help you regain a sense of happiness and control in your life and help alleviate depression symptoms, such as hopelessness and anger. It also may help you adjust to a crisis or other current difficulty.

There are several types of psychotherapy that are effective for depression. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most commonly used talk therapies for depression. This type of therapy helps you identify pessimistic, negative beliefs and behaviors and replace them with healthy, positive ones. It’s based on the idea that your own thoughts — not other people or situations — determine how you behave. Even if an unwanted situation doesn’t change, you can change the way you think and behave in a positive way. Interpersonal therapy and psychodynamic psychotherapy are other types of therapy commonly used to treat depression.

Electroconvulsive therapy:

In electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), electrical currents are passed through the brain to trigger a seizure. Although many people are leery of ECT and its side effects, it typically offers fast, effective relief of depression symptoms. Experts aren’t sure how this therapy relieves the signs and symptoms of depression. The procedure may affect levels of neurotransmitters in your brain. The most common side effect is confusion, which can last from a few minutes to several hours. Some people also experience partial memory loss, but memory often returns.

ECT is usually used for people who don’t get better with medications and for those at high risk of suicide. It may be the only treatment available for older adults with severe depression who can’t take medications because of heart disease.

Hospitalization and residential treatment programs:
It’s not often that depression becomes so severe that you require psychiatric hospitalization. And even when depression is severe, it still may not be easy to decide if hospitalization is appropriate. If you can be treated just as effectively or better outside of the hospital, your doctor probably won’t recommend hospitalization.

Psychiatric hospitalization is generally recommended only when you aren’t able to care for yourself properly or when you’re in immediate danger of harming yourself or someone else. Psychiatric hospitalization options include 24-hour inpatient care, partial or day hospitalization, or residential treatment, which offers a supportive place to live.

Q: Do you suffer from clinical depression if you have seen a psychiatrist in the past and have taken medication?
I currently am not using either service but I want to know if what I am currently feeling is intense sadness or is it most likely clinical depression.

A: Only a professional would be able to diagnose you. If you feel like you are depressed then just talk to you doctor.

Clinical depression (also called major-depressive disorder or unipolar depression) is a common psychiatric disorder, characterized by a persistent lowering of mood, loss of interest in usual activities and diminished ability to experience pleasure

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_depression

Q: Why did they bother changing Clinical depression to Major depression?
or am i wrong? From what i know they changed clinical depression to major depression. why? or are they two seperate types of depression? to me it seems like they changed it to make it sound more serious

A: To differentiate it from other diagnoses such as dysthymia. Dysthymia is a clinical diagnosis, so is technically a clinical depression, but it is chronic and mild, compared to major depression which is acute and severe.

Q: Would clinical depression be considered a psychological, psychiatric, or mental nervous disorder?
I’m shopping around from some health insurance and one of the exclusions listed is no psychological, psychiatric, or mental nervous disorders.

Does this include clinical depression?

I’m having a hard time finding a company that will cover depression medications now for some reason. The company I’m with now gave me a good rate, only to let me find out they won’t cover my medications but they didn’t bother to tell me that before they approved me when I listed it on the application.

A: Clinical Depression can be both a psychological disorder due to emotional problems or a psychiatric disorder due to chemical imbalances in the brain. I don’t know what you mean by a mental nervous disorder, both psychological and psychiatric problems are both considered Mental Health Disorders. You will find that once you have been labelled as having a mental health condition, you will be heavily penalised (higher premiums) on life, health, motor insurance. I live in the UK and all my appointments and medication are free, yet I have an online friend in Chicago who has exactly the same medications as me and costs her $1150 per month, partly met by her insurance company.

Make sure you have a concrete diagnoses before becoming a marked man/woman.

Q: How do you know if you have clinical depression?
Or any other kind?
Do you need a doctor to tell you?
or is there a symptom present in clinical depression than any other type?

A: Well, there are tests you can do online, by clinical technically means that you have been diagnosed by a health-care professional.

Here is something that can help you and you can take it to your doctor if necessary:

http://www.med.nyu.edu/psych/screens/depres.html

This will help you too:

http://www.iampanicked.com/anxiety-articles/clinical-depression-symptoms.htm

Q: Is Clinical Depression and Major Depressive Disorder the same?
Is Clinical Depression the same as Major Depressive Disorder?Or is it a different illness?

Hi how is everyone? I am 21 years old and for the last 5 or so months i have been treated for clinical depression with Fluoxetine(Prozac). The dose was recently upped to 40mg by my GP in Glasgow.Thank you for reading.

A: Yes its the same i 16 and i have exactly the same as you apart from i had an allergic reaction to prozac blah blah blah you don’t need to know. I’ve worked out that in england doctors tend to call it clinical rather than an major depressive disorder. i have no idea why but in america and places like that the tend to call it a major depressive disorder.

If you ever need somebody to talk to I’m here don’t be afraid to ask.Its easier to talk to somebody you don’t know.

Q: Is Clinical Depression the same as Major Depressive Disorder?
Hi how is everyone. I am 21 years old and for the last 5 or so months i have been treated for clinical depression with Fluoxetine(Prozac). The dose was recently upped to 40mg by my GP in Glasgow.My question is is Clinical Depression the same as Major Depressive Disorder?Or is it a different illness? Thank you for reading.

A: My dear Linda,
May God bless you.
The clinical depression is same as major depression if the person feels isolated from the society and has very poor expression of his or her feelings.
In your case, it may be possible for the drug to work and relieve your depression, but in reality, when we change some of our obsessive thoughts to more practical thoughts and combine it with a good life style of work, exercise and nourishment along with proper rest and recreation, it works the best for our recovery. Depression is not a permanent disease that can never be improved or cured.Please remember this.
Ramesh.

Q: Where can I find a therapist for clinical depression?
So I was reading through here: http://www.clinical-depression.co.uk/Understanding_Depression/understanding.htm and pretty much everywhere else on the site and it was very informative so in the end I decided to put suicide on hold for awhile, in the meantime I was wondering if anyone knows where I can find a therapist for depression in London?
btw I’ve been to my GP before, she was useless.

A: You could try and see another GP sometimes it takes quite a few to get someone who is useful. Even if you just ask where you can find a therapist.

Mind is quite useful

http://www.mind.org.uk/mind+in+your+area/regions/london/index.htm

They can refer you on . Otherwise CAB can help you find someone as well .

Just a note if you are feeling suicidal and really down they may not agree for therapy because you will be too unwell. Also in this case maybe A and E would be a good idea as they can put you in contact with a crisis team who can organise therapists and counsellers. Sometimes with GP’s you just have to tell them what to do .

Q: how does clinical depression affect an individual and their family?
I’m doing a report in my health class about clinical depression but this is the only question i couldn’t find!!

A: Well in my own experience…

-My mom gets stressed out when she sees how sad I am
-My mom and siblings have to deal with the mood swings I have
-Most of the time I don’t feel like doing anything so I sometimes don’t help out around the house or anything when I know I should
-Sometimes my irritation will, I guess, help trigger arguments or fights with siblings
-Depression messes up my sleeping.. where some days I wont sleep at all and other days I sleep way too much
-I don’t spend too much time with my family because I stay in my room most days [it's my comfort zone]
-My little brother always wants me to play games with him but I refuse to because I never feel like it.. and I know it makes him sad that I don’t spend time with him
-Sometimes I don’t express how I’m feeling to my family so, that alone, may cause arguments

There’s a lot more…. tell me if you need more info

Q: What are the signs of Clinical Depression?
A friend of mine insists that she has Clinical Depression. What are the signs/symptoms of this mental health disease?

A: According to the APA, (American Psychiatric Institute)Clinical depression is also known as major depression, unipolar depression, unipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder.

Signs and symptoms: all-encompassing low mood
low self-esteem
loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyed activities
it is a disabling condition that affects work, family and school life, sleeping and eating habits, and general health.

In the US, 3.4% w/major depression succeed in committing suicide

There is no lab test, per se, it is diagnosed based on what the patient tells the doctor and/or behavior reported by friends and family. The most common time is ages 30-40 and peaks at ages 40-50.

Q: How do you feel when people confuse bad mood and sadness with clinical depression?
Every now and then you hear, I’m depressed, I am down, I’ve been so depressed lately…etc. If you have clinical depression you will know what I mean.
Thank you for answering my question. I didn’t mean to be judgemental in any way.
Ivana, if I could answer my own question I would do it with your words, I also had the same conditions and I wouldn’t wish to go through this to my worst enemy.
I wish a happy and healthy new year to you all.

A: I think the first person who answered your question completely misinterpreted what you wrote :)

How do I feel? Well, I am currently recovering from four and a half years of severe post-natal depression, bordering on psychosis, with an underlying acute anxiety disorder with a tendency to apocolyptic panic attacks. Ta da!
I used to think: I dare anyone to tell me I’m faking it, using it as an excuse, making it up. I used to hope like hell someone would tell me to “Get over it”, or “For God’s sake, smile!”, so I could smack them in the head.
I used to get very angry, very defensive, very suicidal, very everything you can think of.
Now, though (and this has only happened in the past couple of weeks) I have accepted that the only people who understand are the ones who’ve been there, and it’s pretty much pointless trying to explain it to anyone else. They just can’t understand, whether they want to or not.
I am so close to being better now that I’m getting really excited, and once I’ve got myself completely back on track, I’ll be focusing all of my spare time and energy on helping others get the help they need to get better.

Q: Is there a difference between depression and clinical depression?
Is there a difference between depression and clinical depression?
I’ve been diagnosed with clinical depression and I was just wondering if there was a difference and if so what they are. Thanks

A: Yes, there are specific criteria that relate to the diagnosis of clinical depression.

Q: What do ppl mean by “clinical depression” as opposed to “major depression”?
I just saw someone say “clinical depression” or “major depression,” in giving answer, which is what got me wondering if it’s supposed to be worse than major depression or less so.

I’m partly wondering because clinical depression isn’t in the psychiatric lexicon. It is a popular term.

A: It is the same thing, to make a diagnosis of major depression there must be a set of specific clinical symptoms hence the term.
It is very different from being sad or upset or miserable.
Treatment is different for each type of depression.

Q: I am Looking for Employment in the Criminal Justice Field with Clinical Depression, is it possible?
I am currently sutdying criminal justice in college and I hope to be a state police officer, Im on medication for my depression and it works fine, I don’t have suicidal or violent thoughts I just get sad but not to the point of suicidal thoughts as I mentioned, my question is would I be able to be employed as a police officer with clinical depression?

A: Just keep your depression under control, make sure you DON’T stop your meds and reguarly see your pshchiatrist like once a month. It is nobody’s business if you are or aren’t depressed so you don’t have to tell them. The trouble comes if they start seeing changes for the worst within yourself. But if you follow what your doctor says then you should be okay. Put your mind to it and you can do or be whatever you want to. Achieving this goal might even help you with your depression because you are doing what makes you happy. It’s all up to you……good luck they offer criminal justice degrees online phoenix.edu.com

Q: Which Anti-depressants that your Doctor prescribed for your clinical depression have worked best for you?
There is clinical depression on my father’s side of the family. I’m sure I have it and I have made an appt because others on my father’s side are poorly trying to live with depression whereas others are gone and I don’t want to struggle with this chemical imbalance when I haven’t done anything (meaning I’ve never done drugs, alcohol, etc.) to be this way.

A: Lexapro 10mg, then after 8 weeks felt great, but knew I could still feel better, and dr upped me to 20mg, and and it is THE BEST I HAVE EVER FELT IN MY LIFE!

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