what is depression?

Answer 1

Depression.

If you want the clinical definition, it is a state of sadness, melancholia or despair that has advanced to the point of being disruptive to an individual's social functioning and/or activities of daily living. Although a low mood or state of dejection that does not affect functioning is often referred to as depression, clinical depression is a medical diagnosis and is different from the everyday meaning of "being depressed".

Depression, or a depressed mood, may in everyday English refer to a state of melancholia, unhappiness or sadness, or to a relatively minor downturn in mood that may last only a few hours or days. This is quite distinct from the medical diagnosis of clinical depression. However, if depressed mood lasts at least two weeks, and is accompanied by other symptoms that interfere with daily living, it may be seen as a symptom of clinical depression, dysthymia or some other diagnosable mental illness, or alternatively as sub-syndromal depression.

In my opinion, depression is when you're down and you can't get up. You're not depressed if you can listen to music or eat ice cream and feel better. Depression is when you actually feel so sad for any reason and nothing you do seems to dull the ache. It's more than a simple pain or hurt. It doesn't fade, it intensifies. It gets so bad that you can't do anything and you give serious thought to suicide and/or death in general. Depression takes over your mind. It takes you out of yourself so that you feel nothing but pain and heartbreak.

Answer 2

Depression refers to several of the mood disorders. First of all, "mood" is a long-term word whereas "affect" is in the here and now. So a "depressed mood" is usually evaluated over at LEAST a few weeks. If someone is severely depressed for a couple months at a time, they're probably Major Depressive Disorder. IF someone's just generally "blah" (think Eeyore) ALL the time, that's more dishtymia. Some people DO have both. With MDD, there ARE physical signs / symptoms: changes in sleeping (usually sleeping WAY too much) or eating (usually eating way less than usual). There's impairments to cognitive functioning (a drop in grades, or ability to work). I just wanted to say that the clinical definition is a LOT more than just "sad", or even "numb".

Answer 3

Depression:
A mental state characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a despondent lack of activity.
Sad feelings of gloom and inadequacy.
A state of depression and anhedonia so severe as to require clinical intervention.

A long-term economic state characterized by unemployment and low prices and low levels of trade and investment.
A period during the 1930s when there was a worldwide economic depression and mass unemployment.

A sunken or depressed geological formation.
An air mass of lower pressure; often brings precipitation.

A concavity in a surface produced by pressing.
Angular distance below the horizon (especially of a celestial object).
Pushing down.

Answer 4

some say it's a chemical imbalance in the brain. and for some it its. i'll tell you what it felt like to me...it felt like a black curtain had been lowered between me and the rest of the world. no color to be seen anywhere. suicides happen as the depression is lifting, because some people just don't have the nerve to go thru it again. i won't tell you what i did to keep from going there, it would sound too crazy. but if you are depressed, go to a doctor, now. don't become a statistic.

Answer 5

feeling down hearted, gloomy.It is a time when u feel all alone like the world has turned it's back on u and u would close your eyes to a world of doubt and there will be so many things u think about. Listen to this song when u r depressed " I know Jah Jah Bless Me" by Jah Cure

Answer 6

An invention created by Pschycologists to drug you and charge youa ortune to get you better.

It really is just boredom though

Answer 7

when u think ur life is wothles at the time unless its clinical

Answer 8

The worst hole you would ever want to be in in your life !

Answer 9

SADNESS DISAPPOINTMENT DISPAIR EMPTINESS LACK OF DIRECTION VALUING NOTHING...

Answer 10

it's realizing that yur a loser ( I talking about you)