Signs of Clinical Depression

Signs of Clinical Depression
What to Look For

There are many different signs of clinical depression. They will vary depending on the type of depression you might have.

Diagnosing a depressive disorder is not black and white, it is not a matter of following a check list. Rather, as a counselor, I look at the symptoms along with other things like the family history, possible recent traumatic events, previous experience with a depressive disorder, other mental health issues or diagnoses....there are many things to consider when making any diagnosis.

However, in terms of symptoms, I refer to the DSM-IV and I look for the following symptoms where five (5) or more need to be present for at least 2 weeks. These symptoms can include the following:

Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day

Limited interest in pleasurable activities almost every day

Significant change in appetite resulting in weight gain or loss

Inability to sleep or excessive sleeping almost every day

Impeded psychomotor skills

Feeling worthless and having low self esteem

Having excessive feelings of guilt

Having trouble concentrating or making decisions most every day

Recurring thoughts of suicide or even attempts of suicide

Again, this is a list of general symptoms. Your symptoms may vary depending on the type of depressive disorder you are suffering with. So, I encourage you to go through my site and learn about the different types of depression to determine which one you might have. I have a separate page dedicated to clinical depression that you can check out as well.

You can also take a depression test to give you a better idea of just how depressed you really are. Once you get an idea as to what you are faced with, you can then begin to explore depression treatment options, depression medications, and depression therapy options.

The good thing to remember is that depressive disorders can be diagnosed and successfully treated. So, if you think you have signs of a clinical depressive disorder, consider taking a test as another reference point. If the test indicates that you may be depressed then I recommend contacting a mental health professional, getting a proper diagnosis and agreeing on an appropriate treatment plan.

Regardless, it is important to know that any depressive order is treatable once properly diagnosed. In fact, most individuals feel better within just a couple of weeks of receiving treatment. So, you too, can feel better and live a happy, productive life.

Signs of Clinical Depression to Depression Test Home Page

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