Patricia L. Field, Ph.D. Psychologist.and.Psychotherapist

Clinical depression or depressive disorder is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts. It affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. A depressive disorder is not the same as feeling “down” or “blue.” It is not a “bad mood” or a condition that can be willed or wished away. People with a depressive illness cannot merely "pull themselves together" and get better. Without treatment, symptoms of clinical depression can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment for clinical depression, however, can help most people who suffer from clinical depression. The exact cause of clinical depression is not clear. Sometimes, a stressful event can cause one to feel depressed. Sometimes it seems to happen for no reason at all.

If YOU feel that you may be suffering from Depression, call my office for a safe, secure, confidential evaluation.  I am here to help YOU.

               --- Dr. Patricia Field
               ---- Los Angeles California

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What is Clinical Depression?

Source: University Health Services Berkeley.Edu

When we refer to depression in the following pages, we are talking about "clinical depression." Clinical depression is a serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Individuals with clinical depression are unable to function as they used to. Often they have lost interest in activities that were once enjoyable to them, and feel sad and hopeless for extended periods of time. Clinical depression is not the same as feeling sad or depressed for a few days and then feeling better. It can affect your body, mood, thoughts, and behavior. It can change your eating habits, how you feel and think, your ability to work and study, and how you interact with people. People who suffer from clinical depression often report that they "don't feel like themselves anymore."

Clinical depression is not a sign of personal weakness, or a condition that can be willed away. Clinically depressed people cannot "pull themselves together" and get better. In fact, clinical depression often interferes with a person's ability or wish to get help. Clinical depression is a serious illness that lasts for weeks, months and sometimes years. It may even influence someone to contemplate or attempt suicide.

People of all ages, genders, ethnicities, cultures, and religions can suffer from clinical depression. Each year it affects over 17 million American men and women (source: American Psychiatric Association). While clinical depression is common, it is frequently unrecognized and untreated.

There are different types and levels of clinical depression. Mental health counselors and psychiatrists are trained to diagnose and treat clinical depression. With the right treatment, most people who seek help get better within several months. Many people begin to feel better in just a few weeks.

Common Symptoms of Clinical Depression

There are different forms of clinical depression with different combinations of the following symptoms:

• Sleep disturbances-insomnia, oversleeping, waking much earlier than usual
• Changes in appetite or eating: much more or much less
• Decreased energy, fatigue
• Headaches, stomachaches, digestive problems or other physical symptoms that are not explained by other physical conditions or do not respond to treatment
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed, such as going out with friends, hobbies, sports, sex, etc.
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
• Neglecting responsibilities or personal appearance
• Persistent sad or "empty" mood, lasting two or more weeks
• Crying "for no reason"
• Feeling hopeless, helpless, guilty or worthless
• Feeling irritable, agitated or anxious
• Thoughts of death or suicide

Types of Depression: 

Clinical depression can come in different forms. It may start suddenly or build up over a period of weeks, months, or years. The following are descriptions of the three most prevalent forms, though for an individual, the number, severity and duration of the symptoms may vary.

Major Depression: a combination of symptoms (described above) that interfere with one's ability to work, sleep, eat and enjoy once pleasurable activities. These episodes can occur once, twice or several times in a lifetime.
Dysthymia: a less intense type of depression that involves long-term, chronic symptoms that are less severe, but keep one from functioning at full ability and from feeling good.

Bipolar Disorder (also known as manic-depressive illness): periods of depression alternate with periods of elation and increased activity, known as mania. 

How Is Clinical Depression Different From Normal Stress and Sadness?

Feeling sad and depressed is often a normal reaction to a stressful life situation.

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