What's the difference between...?

Question

What's the difference between regular depression and major depression? What determines if you are just depressed or majorly depressed? Thanks!

Answer 1

all i can say is....depession is more like just being sad once in awhile that normal, now major depession is feeling down all the time and being stressed out alot....atlest that what i can tell

Answer 2

depression is a mood that changes from minute to minute i.e. I am depressed because my car broke down. Then when it is fixed it you are happy.

Major depression is a disease like diabetes. with diabetes the pancreas doesn't make enough insulin, so people need insulin.

Where as depression is like that but the brain doesn't make enough serotonin and/or dopamine and it needs a antidepressant to help with it.

Some symptoms of depression are:

change in appetite (eating too much or little)
change in sleep (sleeping too much or little)
feeling worthless
excessive guilt
suicidal ideations (i know that word is misspelled)
not finding joy in things you use to
having trouble concentrating

these are just a few there are more, I dont have my book here with me

and most of the time the symptoms last for two weeks or more

Answer 3

regular depression usually is a sadness that goes away in a couple of days. Major depression is usually marked by loss of interest in activities that you used to enjoy. Change in eating patterns (increase or decrease of appetite). Trouble sleeping, thoughts of suicide, sleeping too much (like all day and never want to get out of bed). If you feel the later you should talk to a mental health professional immidiatley.

Answer 4

i have been dealing with a severe depression for over 16 yrs. now--i do not seem to be able to handle life's traumas very well--
i just got out of the hospital this afternoon after being checked in a few days ago. some times it takes a long time to get back to being "my old self" sometimes its just a matter of days--like this time.
major depression can be there with absolutely NO logical reason what so ever--or it can come on for some reason that only YOU know and understand.
there is medication but sometimes there is not enough Prozac in the Western hemisphere to keep one out of the mental ward at the hospital.
i have dealt with suicide on a daily basis for such a long time now--i wonder if it ever goes away.
i did find out what set it all off-i was raped by the landlord and blocked it from my mind--then he came and did it again--again i blocked it all out as if it never happened-- I think I just got OVERLOADED in my mind--too much trauma
--then i started getting crazy and floating like "everything is so wonderful" i was soooo happy--i was what was called MANIC and then as high as i went up--i hit bottom and what a bottom it was! and that was called DEPRESSIVE--now i do not get manic anymore--i just hit bottom.
someday i know it will go away and i can stop worrying about what i will do to myself...until then, i know the signs and as soon as i see the first sign--i go to the hospital and check in and they save my life.

Answer 5

"depression" is an English word used by everyone, and it could mean different things to different people, as in "oh my team lost i'm so depressed" or "i'm so depressed i haven't left the house in 6 months"
"Major Depression" is a disorder as defined in DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) It is a medical diagnosis. Just like "Diabetes mellitus" or "Peptic Ulcer Disease". There are specific criteria. It can be treated with medication or therapy.
Here are the criteria:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_depression#Diagnosis

Answer 6

Depression:
Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
Decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain
Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts
Restlessness, irritability
Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain

Major depression is manifested by a combination of symptoms (see symptom list) that interfere with the ability to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy once pleasurable activities. Such a disabling episode of depression may occur only once but more commonly occurs several times in a lifetime.

Answer 7

The difference is longevity and severity. Major depression disrupts your life and many areas....it last longer and is more severe in symptomology than depression. The same goes for diagnosing depression versus major depression....the criterion for both are different and deal with the severity and longevity of symptoms.

Answer 8

regular depression is when you feel sad and that no no likes you. major depression is when you want to cut your self because you feel like you dont belong here or no one likews you and your alone in the world.

Answer 9

a regular deppression is a depression that you can handle everyday a major is that it has been with you almost like eternity

Answer 10

i guess majorly depressed is where you can't get outta bad and it interferes with your work and social life... but everybody gets depressed sometimes