What is being depressed, or depression?

Question

I think we are a little casual with the term at times.
Good for a monday morning question i think, let me gather.

Answer 1

the meaning of depression is a mood disturbance characterized by exaggerated feelings of sadness, discouragement, and hopelessness that are inappropriate and out of proportion to reality. Some of the signs are: sadness, discouragement, crying, irritability, withdrawing from usual activities, being critical of self and of others, becoming passive, decreased or increased appetite, fatigue, weight loss or gain, and thoughts of death. A depressed person feels like they are not good enough and have no self worth. They isolate themselves from other people.

Answer 2

Clinical depression 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 the field of psychiatry, the word depression can also have this meaning of low mood but more specifically refers to a mental illness when it has reached a severity and duration to warrant a diagnosis, whether there is an obvious situational cause or not; see Clinical depression. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) states that a depressed mood is often reported as being: "... depressed, sad, hopeless, discouraged, or 'down in the dumps'." In a clinical setting, a depressed mood can be something a patient reports (a symptom), or something a clinician observes (a sign), or both.

A depressed mood is generally situational and reactive, and associated with grief, loss, or a major social transition. A change of residence, marriage, divorce, the break-up of a significant relationship, graduation, or job loss are all examples of instances that might trigger a depressed mood.

Answer 3

Depression 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".
The symptoms may be
Feelings of overwhelming sadness or fear or the seeming inability to feel emotion (emptiness).
A decrease in the amount of interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities of the day, nearly every day.
Changing appetite and marked weight gain or loss.
Disturbed sleep patterns, such as insomnia, loss of REM sleep, or excessive sleep (Hypersomnia).
Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly everyday.
Fatigue, mental or physical, also loss of energy.
Feelings of guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, anxiety, or fear.
Trouble concentrating or making decisions or a generalized slowing and obtunding of cognition, including memory.
Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.
A decrease in self-esteem.
Inattention to personal hygiene.
Sensitivity to noise.
Physical aches and pains, and the belief these may be signs of serious illness.
Fear of 'going mad'.
Change in perception of time.
Depression in children is not as obvious as it is in adults. Here are some symptoms that children might display:

Loss of appetite.
Irritability.
Sleep problems, such as recurrent nightmares.
Learning or memory problems where none existed before.
Significant behavioral changes; such as withdrawal, social isolation, and aggression.
An additional indicator could be the excessive use of drugs or alcohol. Depressed adolescents are at particular risk of further destructive behaviours, such as eating disorders and self-harm.

I hope you understand a little more about depression now.

Answer 4

I agree with you that the term depressed is overused nowadays and used casually in situations where the word "sad" is really more appropriate.

The real meaning of "being depressed" is to have the mental illness depression, which is a serious, longterm condition and not just a "I'm so depressed, this day hasn't been nice".

I wish people would start using the word sad again and leave depressed for those who really are depressed in the full sense of the word.

Answer 5

i would say that being depressed is when u feel so low and sad that sometimes you dont want to live anymore!! something bad has happened in ur life and you cant overcome the sadness that you become into a depressed mode where u dont want to talk you are constantly sad for month even years on end its a horrible thing to have even paranoid kicks in its not nice but we do over do it nowadays and its so wrong no ones depressed just sad or unhappy with something

Answer 6

For a diagnosis of a major depression:

1. At least 5 of the following symptoms.
2. These symptoms must be present during the same 2 week period.
3. These symptoms must represent a change from a previous level of functioning.

Depressed mood, nearly every day during most of the day.
Marked diminished interest or pleasure in almost all activities.
Significant weight loss (when not dieting), weight gain, or a change in appetite.
Insomnia or hypersomnia (excess sleep).
Psychomotor agitation or psychomotor retardation.
Fatigue or loss of energy.
Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt.
Impaired ability to concentrate or indecisiveness
Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal

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Signs and Symptoms - General Terms
Loss of interest in formerly pleasurable activities
Dissatisfaction with life
Withdrawal from social activities
Loss of energy
Feeling useless or hopeless
Irritability
Great concern with health problems
Sadness or crying
Worry and/or self-criticism
Difficulty concentrating and/or making decisions
Loss of appetite and weight
Psychological symptoms: Feelings, thoughts and behaviors
Feeling sad, blue, depressed, or hopeless most of the day.
Greatly reduced interest or pleasure in all or almost all activities; inability to think of anything that would be enjoyable to do (health permitting)
Feelings of excessive guilt, or a feeling that one is a worthless person.
Slowed or agitated movements (not in response to pain or discomfort)
Recurrent thoughts of dying or of ending one's own life, with or without a specific plan.
Physical or "Somatic" Symptoms
Significant, unintentional weight loss and decrease in appetite; or, less commonly, weight gain and increased in appetite.
Insomnia or excessive sleeping
Fatigue and loss of energy
A diminished ability to think, concentrate, or make decisions
Physical symptoms of anxiety, including dry mouth, cramps, diarrhea, and sweating, ideation, or suicide attempt or plan.

Answer 7

A easy to understand and patient friendly explanation of depression can be found on the Prodigy website.

Link below.

Answer 8

I think it refers to one who feels unhappy all the time, for other symptoms, I think you should check from medical books

Answer 9

I don't even know what ur question means...

Answer 10

good question when you find out please let me know?!?!?!