
Depression Support Group
Depression is a real and debilitating condition that is often misunderstood by family and friends. Its meaning can range from a prolonged period of sadness to an actual mental illness with specific symptoms. Find and share experiences with others who are going through the same struggles.

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What is the difference between depression and clinical depression? How do you know what version you have?
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If your depression lasts longer than two weeks and/or is very severe (strong thoughts of death and/or suicide) then you are aiming more towards major depression rather than more normal everyday depression that most people experience from time to time.
Depression of either type can be caused by a life changing situation (death in family, job loss, major health change, divorce, etc.)
Or, it can be caused by a natural imbalance in brain chemistry, or a combination of both.
here are some symptoms of depression in general. They apply to both kinds of depression:
Weight loss or weight gain (more than 5 lbs or so); sleep disturbance - either sleeping too much or not enough; slowness, clumbsiness in motor (voluntary) activity (ie: lots of typos when you're typing); feeling hopeless, worthless, excessively guilty, thoughts of death/suicide, wishing to be dead, suicide attempts, etc. Loss of energy, fatigue; difficulty concentrating, short term memory loss; losing interest in things you normally enjoy, and isolating yourself. Being overoccupied with projects and activities is also a sign.
If you have major depression, antidepressants and therapy both are the most often recommended treatment to manage it. and the longer you wait, the more difficult it is to get it under control.
So if your depression is not going away on its own after a couple of weeks, it would be a good idea to see your Dr. about what to do.