Depression is categorized as a mood disorder. It may additionally be described as feelings of sadness, loss, or anger that interfere with a person’s every day activities. It’s also pretty common. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Trusted Source estimates that 18.5 percent of American adults had signs and symptoms of despair in any given 2-week duration in 2019. Though melancholy and grief share some features, melancholy is specific from grief felt after losing a loved one or disappointment felt after a annoying life event. Depression usually involves self-loathing or a loss of self-esteem, whilst grief generally does not. In grief, high-quality thoughts and comfortable reminiscences of the deceased usually accompany emotions of emotional pain. In major depressive disorder, the feelings of disappointment are constant. People experience depression in one of a kind ways. It can also intrude with your every day work, ensuing in lost time and lower productivity. It can additionally influence relationships and some continual health conditions.

Depression Is Different From Sadness or Grief/Bereavement

The death of a loved one, loss of a job or the ending of a relationship are difficult experiences for a person to endure. It is normal for feelings of sadness or grief to develop in response to such situations. Those experiencing loss often might describe themselves as being “depressed.” But being sad is not the same as having depression. The grieving process is natural and unique to each individual and shares some of the same features of depression. Both grief and depression may involve intense sadness and withdrawal from usual activities. They are also different in important ways: In grief, painful feelings come in waves, often intermixed with positive memories of the deceased. In major depression, mood and/or interest (pleasure) are decreased for most of two weeks. In grief, self-esteem is usually maintained. In major depression, feelings of worthlessness and self-loathing are common. In grief, thoughts of death may surface when thinking of or fantasizing about “joining” the deceased loved one. In major depression, thoughts are focused on ending one’s life due to feeling worthless or undeserving of living or being unable to cope with the pain of depression. Grief and depression can co-exist For some people, the death of a loved one, losing a job or being a victim of a physical assault or a major disaster can lead to depression. When grief and depression co-occur, the grief is more severe and lasts longer than grief without depression. Distinguishing between grief and depression is important and can assist people in getting the help, support or treatment they need.

Depression symptoms

Depression can be more than a constant nation of unhappiness or feeling “blue.” Major melancholy can cause a variety of symptoms. Some have an effect on your mood and others affect your body. Symptoms can also also be ongoing or come and go. If you ride some of the following symptoms and symptoms Trusted Source of melancholy almost every day for at least two weeks, you can also be living with depression:

feeling sad, anxious, or “empty” 

feeling hopeless, worthless, and pessimistic 

crying a lot 

feeling bothered, annoyed, or angry 

loss of interest in hobbies and interests you once enjoyed 

decreased energy or fatigue 

difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions

 moving or talking more slowly difficulty sleeping, 

early morning awakening, or oversleeping appetite or weight changes 

chronic physical pain with no clear cause that does not get better with treatment (headaches, aches or pains, digestive problems, cramps) thoughts of death, suicide, self-harm, or suicide attempts

Depression Treatments

1. Get in a routine. If you’re depressed, you need a routine, says Ian Cook, MD. He's a psychiatrist and director of the Depression Research and Clinic Program at UCLA. Depression can strip away the structure from your life. One day melts into the next. Setting a gentle daily schedule can help you get back on track.

2. Set goals. When you're depressed, you may feel like you can't accomplish anything. That makes you feel worse about yourself. To push back, set daily goals for yourself. "Start very small," Cook says. "Make your goal something that you can succeed at, like doing the dishes every other day." As you start to feel better, you can add more challenging daily goals.

3. Exercise. It temporarily boosts feel-good chemicals called endorphins. It may also have long-term benefits for people with depression. Regular exercise seems to encourage the brain to rewire itself in positive ways, Cook says. How much exercise do you need? You don’t need to run marathons to get a benefit. Just walking a few times a week can help.

4. Eat healthy. There is no magic diet that fixes depression. It's a good idea to watch what you eat, though. If depression tends to make you overeat, getting in control of your eating will help you feel better.

5. Get enough sleep. Depression can make it hard to get enough shut-eye, and too little sleep can make depression worse. What can you do? Start by making some changes to your lifestyle. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Try not to nap. Take all the distractions out of your bedroom -- no computer and no TV. In time, you may find your sleep improves.

6. Take on responsibilities. When you’re depressed, you may want to pull back from life and give up your responsibilities at home and at work. Don't. Staying involved and having daily responsibilities can help you maintain a lifestyle that can help counter depression. They ground you and give you a sense of accomplishment. If you're not up to full-time school or work, that’s fine. Think about part-time. If that seems like too much, consider volunteer work. 7. Challenge negative thoughts. In your fight against depression, a lot of the work is mental -- changing how you think. When you're depressed, you leap to the worst possible conclusions. The next time you're feeling terrible about yourself, use logic as a natural depression treatment. You might feel like no one likes you, but is there real evidence for that? You might feel like the most worthless person on the planet, but is that really likely? It takes practice, but in time you can beat back those negative thoughts before they get out of control.

Note

Depression is a mood disorder that involves a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. It is different from the mood fluctuations that people regularly experience as a part of life. Major life events, such as bereavement or the loss of a job, can lead to depression.