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Reviewed by <\/em>Virginia Lindahl, Ph.D.<\/em><\/p>\n \n\tJude Evans-McCarthy found herself struggling with feelings of despair, but she kept them to herself, not wanting to be labeled as \u201ccrazy,\u201d and even withheld information from her doctors.\n<\/p>\n \n\tThen one day, after years of struggling, she nearly drove her car into the path of a semi-truck.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cThe only thing that stopped me was that my pets were in the car. And I didn\u2019t want to [kill myself] and have my son dealing with the aftermath of it, wondering if I didn\u2019t love him,\u201d she said.\n<\/p>\n \n\tEvans-McCarthy was eventually diagnosed with depression. She described it as having an elephant on her chest. \u201cThe elephant has its trunk around my throat. It\u2019s hard to crawl out from under it.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\tEvans-McCarthy is not alone. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) reports that clinical depression, or major depressive disorder (MDD), affects more than 21 million American adults over the age of 18.\n<\/p>\n \t\u201cDepression is one of the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric illnesses in the world and can have a significant effect on your relationships and your day-to-day life,\u201d said Drew Pate, M.D., chief of psychiatry at LifeBridge Health in Baltimore, Maryland.\n<\/p>\n How do you know if you\u2019re depressed or just sad?<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n It\u2019s normal to be sad as a reaction to external events, but that sadness eventually passes, and it doesn\u2019t usually cause difficulty with functioning in daily life. Clinical depression interferes with a person\u2019s daily functioning and is an extended period of sadness that may not be connected to external factors or causes.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople can have a temporary depressed reaction to an upsetting situation lasting less than two weeks,\u201d said Karen Lynn Cassiday, Ph.D., ACT, owner and clinical director of the Anxiety Treatment Center of Greater Chicago and former president of the ADAA. \u201cDuring this time, they may find it more difficult to function, but are able to quickly get back to their normal daily activities even though they might feel sad, negative, grief-stricken, etc. \u2026 Clinical depression, or major depression, occurs when someone has two weeks or more of sadness, low mood, loss of interest in things that normally brought them pleasure, irritability or negativity.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Cassiday, these changes in mood, mental energy and physical energy must be out of character for the person as well.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Are there different types of depression?<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n \n\tThe National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) states that there are \n\tThe ADAA reports that MDD is more prevalent in women than in men. \u201cWomen are at unique risk for clinical depression during the peripartum period, when they are stay-at-home moms and when they have broken sleep [in the postpartum period]. Women need extra support both emotionally and physically to weather the changes associated with motherhood without getting stuck in depression,\u201d said Cassiday.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n What are the symptoms of clinical depression?<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n \n\tThe symptoms of clinical depression can vary widely from person to person, but can include these ongoing symptoms:\n<\/p>\n How do you treat depression?<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n \n\tTreatment for depression varies and can include psychotherapy as well as medication. Treatment-resistant depression, which is depression that doesn\u2019t get better with standard treatments, is sometimes treated with other methods, including electroconvulsive therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation or ketamine.\n<\/p>\n \n\tMedications for depression must be taken as directed and may not begin to work for weeks after the first dose. All treatments, including herbal remedies, should be discussed with and prescribed by your healthcare provider.\n<\/p>\n \n\tYou can also take action steps to help alleviate your symptoms, including:<\/p>\n \n\tHow to ask for help for depression\n<\/p>\n \n\tIf you find yourself experiencing symptoms of depression for more than two weeks, or if you are having thoughts of suicide, you should seek help. Asking for help can be a difficult step to take. If you\u2019re not ready to reach out to a mental health professional, you can start by making an appointment with your primary care provider.\n<\/p>\n \n\tYour healthcare provider will look for symptoms that can identify depression, ask about any events that may have contributed to the symptoms and look at any family history of depression. No tests are available to diagnose depression, but your doctor may order lab tests to look for hormone issues or other physical problems that can cause the same symptoms.\n<\/p>\n \n\tEvans-McCarthy found seeking help and accepting treatment to be helpful in managing her depression. \u201cMedication is one of the tools in my toolbox,\u201d she said. \u201cYou need other tools \u2014 therapy, friends, exercise, hobbies \u2014 to use when you need them.\u201d\n<\/p>\n If you or someone you know is having a crisis, please call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. <\/em><\/p>\n Resources\n
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\n\tseveral forms of depression, including MDD; persistent depressive disorder, which is less severe but can last for years; and seasonal affective disorder. Major depression can present with depressive symptoms for two weeks or more, and interfere with the person\u2019s daily activities.\n<\/p>\n\n
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<\/strong>American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
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988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
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National Institute for Mental Health Depression Overview Page<\/p>\n<\/div>\n