Most of us know at least one person who has been diagnosed with depression. Maybe you think that you may have depression? Do your emotions fit the criteria for depression? Clinical depression affects millions of people. Understanding what depression is can be a first step towards getting the right help. Let’s look at some of the facts.
First of all, having days when you feel down, or sad, is normal. We all have days when we feel blue, or down. It is just part of life. If those sad, blue feelings become your most predominant feelings however, like a dark persistent cloud, your emotions may not be just a “mood” but depression.
Depression is a mental disorder. Depression can overwhelm your mind, your thoughts and your body. It affects your personality, your interaction with others, and your beliefs as well. When in depression it is just about impossible to feel hopeful about anything, including ever feeling happy again.
Normal feelings of sadness and that feeling of feeling “blue” and the feelings of depression are very similar. How to tell the difference? Basically it is about time and intensity. The emotions associated with depression will not only be more intense, they are also longer lasting. With depression there is often difficulty to function on a day to day basis.
Typically, the threshold for diagnosing depression is about two weeks. When we experience negative events, it is normal to want to withdraw, and to feel sad. If after a few weeks you are still withdrawn and there is no relief from the sadness, it is possible that you have entered a depressive episode. Untreated depression can last for months to years.
The great news is that depression is very treatable. Traditionally, a combination of therapy and medication is really quite effective. Today an entire range of alternative therapies have shown impressive results at relieving even long standing, serious depression. Some alternative therapies very effective for the treatment of depression are: Emotional freedom Techniques, Tapas Acupressure Technique, Chi Gung, nutritional supplements and a simple thing such as walking are just a few examples.
No one is immune to the effects of depression. It is not an indication of weakness or failure. If you suspect that you or someone you know may be suffering from depression, it’s important to get professional advice as soon as possible.

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