What is Major Depressive Disorder?
Major depressive disorder is a serious mental health condition characterized by severe and seemingly relentless feelings of sadness and hopelessness.
Major depressive disorder is more than simply feel unhappy, sad, or “depressed” for a while. A person suffering from this serious mood disorder can’t simply “snap out of it”. For an individual with major depressive disorder, his or her depressive symptoms continue to persist even without an apparent external stimulus.
Any type of depression can be debilitating, interfering with daily activities and relationships and impacting your ability to leave a “normal” life. Major depressive disorder (also called major depression) is, generally speaking, diagnosed when the symptoms of depression last continuously for more than six months (if left untreated).
Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder
The symptoms of major depressive disorder can include some or all of the following:
Loss of interest in many or even all normal activities
Frequent feelings of sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness
Crying for no apparent reason
Overwhelming feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and self-blame
Feeling angry, irritable, or frustrated out of proportion to the matter at hand
Disrupted sleep patterns, including insomnia or sleeping too much
Persistent lack of energy and tiredness; inability to complete even small tasks
Difficulty concentrating and remembering, as well as slowing patterns of thought and decision-making
Changes in eating patterns, including either poor appetite and weight loss or weight gain due to increased food cravings
Unexplained physical ailments
Suicidal ideation and recurrent and frequent thoughts of death
How to Seek Help for Major Depressive Disorder
Everyone feels sad or depressed every once in a while. It’s even normal to feel depressed for an extended duration, especially in response to difficult life events, such as a break-up or job loss.
The challenge is telling the difference between a very normal period of sadness and the mental health condition known as depression.
But if you are not sure whether you or someone you love is experiencing more than a normal period of sadness, it’s okay to ask for help. Therapy with a licensed therapist can help you or your loved one cope with your depression. If your depression is temporary or in response to a specific event, your counselor can offer tools to help you navigate through a difficult time.
If, however, your depressive symptoms are indicative of a serious mood disorder like major depressive disorder, getting help from a therapist right away is critical.
Depression and especially major depressive disorder is a major risk factor for suicide. Suicidal ideation—thinking and talking about death by suicide—must always be taken extremely seriously. For this reason, especially, seeking help for any level of depression, even if you aren’t sure whether it’s “major” is just really important.
Therapy and Other Treatment Options for Major Depressive Disorder
Treatment for major depressive disorder usually involves a combination of therapy. However, it is important to note that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach when it comes to treating depression. Many patients will need to work closely with their medical team of physicians, psychiatrists, and therapists to develop the right combination of treatment options that work best for them.
The most effective medications for major depressive disorder are generally antidepressants such as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) or SNRIs (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors). These medications can have side effects and impact individuals in different ways that can be difficult to predict. It may be necessary to try different dosages or different types of antidepressants to find the one that works best for you.
Therapy should also play a role in treatment for major depressive disorder. Behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and psychotherapy are all different therapeutic approaches appropriate for treating depression. It may take time—and some trial and error—to find the therapy approach, or combination of approaches, that offers you the tools you need to address your depression.
Any type of depression—but especially major depressive disorder—can be extremely isolating. It can be tough to remember that you aren’t alone, that you have loved ones who want to help. So if you are feeling sad, or suspect that you might have a serious mood disorder like depression, don’t wait to seek help. A trained, licensed therapist is waiting to help you right now.
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Collaborative Therapeutic Services (CTS) wants to help. We offer a variety of counselling and therapy services, hours, and service providers with diverse specializations. We offer evening & weekend appointments in office or by TeleHealth conferencing.
Have questions? Contact Us Here or Call 813-951-7346. Located in Tampa, Florida. Ask us about our new NEUROLEASE™ TREATMENT THERAPY - A cutting edge treatment for releasing toxic emotions.