Symptoms of clinical depression?

Question

I always feel very alone and just generally unhappy ..well.. unless i'm stoned or drunk or what have you. Sometimes i just have these overwhelming lonesome bad feelings. how would someone know if they were clinically depressed and in need of medication to correct the depression is what i'm basically wondering?

Answer 1

well first off, get off the booze and drugs. then go to a pshyciatrist and they can make a diagnosis.

Answer 2

I have clinical depression, and went to the doc a few months ago.
In general, feeling and having depression is feeling really lonely, and sad. Others include

Insomnia (can't sleep)
or
hypersomnia (sleeps too much)

feels hyper
or
is dragging

can't concentrate

has aches and pains

gets headaches

has panic attacks (for me I start hyperventilating, my heart rate goes up, I feel cold, I start shivering, my hands tingle, and I get light headed)

feels guilty for no reason

gets easily irritated

loses or gains pounds

loss of interest in favorite things you once enjoyed

many people with depression cut themselves, if you cut yourself that can be a sign to depression

The last symptom is suicidal thoughts. You should call 1-800-suicide if you are going to, go to an emergency room, ad seek help if you plan to kill yourself.
Seek a doctor immediately if you have suicidal thoughts, or have had these symptoms of depression for more than two weeks.

If you need to talk, I'm here.

Answer 3

Depression manifests itself in many forms.

Don't talk down to yourself, like don't say, "huh, I'm so stupid" that is called degrading yourself.

Do you have a sore neck? or a pain that rarely goes away between your shoulder blades another sign.

Are you sad for long periods of time like two weeks or more.

It is proven that alcohol will make you high for a while but the hangover is also accompanied by bouts of depression. Feeling low, guilty because you said you wouldn't get that drunk again,then the negative spiral starts, I'm a loser, I can never do anything right, nobody loves me so lets have another round.

It is a spiral and no you cannot drink and take anti depressants together you will end up in a hospital.

Take care of yourself and when you feel so lonely, try listening to music or watching TV or reading a book. How about a walk listen to the birds breathe in fresh air. good luck.

Answer 4

Symptoms of Depression
Apathy
Lethargy
Hopelessness
Sleep disturbance (too much or too little sleep)
Slowed physical movement - psycho-motor retardation
Slowed thinking/cognitionImpaired memory and/or concentration
Anhedonia - Loss of pleasure or interest in normally pleasurable events
Suicidal thinking
Self-blame Inappropriate guilt
Recurrent thoughts of death
Avolition – lack of motivation IrritabilityQuick anger Suspiciousness
Emotional turbulence
Morbid or suicidal thinking
Thought process is slowed down.
Indecision
Rumination
Willful Action and thoughts impaired or nonexistent.

Answer 5

According to the DSM-IV-TR criteria for diagnosing a major depressive disorder (cautionary statement) one of the following two elements must be present for a period of at least two weeks:

* Depressed mood, or
* Anhedonia

It is sufficient to have either of these symptoms in conjunction with five of a list of other symptoms over a two-week period. These include:

* Feelings of overwhelming sadness and/or fear, or the seeming inability to feel emotion (emptiness).
* A decrease in the amount of interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, daily activities.
* 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 every day.
* Fatigue, mental or physical, also loss of energy.
* Intense feelings of guilt, nervousness, helplessness, hopelessness, worthlessness, isolation/loneliness and/or anxiety.
* Trouble concentrating, keeping focus or making decisions or a generalized slowing and obtunding of cognition, including memory.
* Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), desire to just "lie down and die" or "stop breathing", recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.
* Feeling and/or fear of being abandoned by those close to one.

Also, please note that you CANNOT take meds and drink or take recreational drugs at the same time. It will make you worse.