What is Depression?

Are you depressed? The symptoms of depression are sometimes surprising.

A constant sense of hopelessness and despair is a sign you may have major depression, which is also known as clinical depression.

With major depression, it may be difficult to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy spending time with friends.

Some people have clinical depression only once in their life, while others may experience major depression several times.

Major depression seems to occur from one generation to the next in some families, but may affect people with no family connection.

What Is Major or Clinical Depression?

DSM-IV  Describes the symptoms of Major Depression:

• Fatigue or loss of energy almost every day.
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt almost every day.
• Impaired concentration, indecisiveness.
• Insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping) almost every day.
• Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in almost all activities nearly every day (called anhedonia, this symptom can be indicated by reports from significant others).
• Restlessness or feeling slowed down.
• Recurring thoughts of death or suicide.
• Significant weight loss or gain (a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month).

If you think you may have some of these symptoms, Counseling On Demand can help!

Along with seeing your family doctor for possible drug treatments for depression, research has shown that talk therapy is also recommended for the best treatment of clinical depression. And Online Counseling has shown to be as effective and sometimes even more effective in treatment of both depression and anxiety.

Does Online Care Work?

Leading research organizations including Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins, and the National Institute of Mental Health have found that online mental health care is as effective as in-person care. It has even sometimes been shown to be more effective.