Severe Clinical Depression Symptoms
Depression comes in a variety of forms. Some people experience a mild, temporary episode that only lasts a few weeks. Others may experience persistent, severe depression.
It goes beyond just feeling sad. Everyone feels low, upset, or unmotivated from time to time. Depression is much more complicated than simply being “down in the dumps”.
Clinical depression is also known as major depression or major depressive disorder. It affects 17.3 million American adults. This translates to 7.1% of the U.S. population that is 18 years or older in any given year.
Depressive disorder is a mood disorder. It affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. Signs and symptoms of depression can range dramatically, from hopelessness and fatigue to a loss of interest in life, physical pain, and suicidal thoughts.
In 2020, an estimated 14.8 million U.S. adults had at least one clinical depressive episode in the past year. Most of these adults are between the ages of 18 and 29.
But what about those under the age of 18? 1.9 million children, ages 3 to 17, have a diagnosis of clinical depression.
If these statistics seem like a lot, it is. The problem is that many people go undiagnosed because they don’t want to talk to their doctors about their emotions. In fact, around 39% of adults with major depressive episodes don’t receive treatment.
Another 2 in 3 people suffering from depression don’t actively seek nor receive proper treatment. This means that many patients with clinical depression do not receive the proper care to remedy their illness.
The statistics above might make you wonder about the symptoms of clinical depression. If people aren’t seeking help, maybe they don’t realize what depression looks like. Maybe they don’t realize they have it.
Severe clinical depression symptoms are important to understand because the illness can be debilitating and deadly. Depression is the cause of ⅔ of the 30,000 reported suicides in the U.S. each year.
So what are the symptoms?
Table of Contents
Who is at Risk for Clinical Depression?
Severe Clinical Depression Symptoms
Clinical Depression Symptoms in Children and Teens
Clinical Depression Symptoms in Older Adults
Are Women at Higher Risk for Major Depression?
What is Clinical Depression?
Clinical depression is the more-sever form of depression. It is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. for people between the ages of 15 to 44. It can develop at any age.
Clinical depression is not the same as depression brought on by loss, such as the death of a loved one. It can resemble other medical conditions, such as thyroid disorders.
To diagnose clinical depression, many doctors use the symptom criteria for major depressive disorder in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, also known as the DSM-5. The American Psychiatric Association is responsible for publishing the DSM-5.
Symptoms are usually severe enough to cause noticeable problems in the patient. It can create problems in relationships with others or in day-to-day activities, such as work or school.
Who is at Risk for Clinical Depression?
Clinical depression affects almost 7% of the U.S. population over the age of 18. Overall, between 20%-25% of adults may suffer an episode of clinical depression at some point in their life.
Major depression also affects older adults, teens, and children. It frequently goes undiagnosed and untreated in these populations.
Severe Clinical Depression Symptoms
Some people only experience clinical depression once in their life. That said, most people typically have multiple episodes. During these episodes, symptoms occur throughout most of the day, nearly every day.
Such symptoms include…
Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness, or hopelessness
Angry outbursts, irritability, or frustration, even over small matters
Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies, or sports
Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased cravings for food and weight gain
Anxiety, agitation, or restlessness
Slowed thinking, speaking, or body movements
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame
Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions, and remembering things
Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, or suicide
Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches
Clinical Depression Symptoms in Children and Teens
Clinical depression can occur in children, adolescents, and minors. Common signs and symptoms of depression in minors are similar to those in adults. There are a few differences.
In younger children, symptoms of clinical depression may include…
Sadness
Irritability
Clinginess
Worry
Aches and pains
Refusing to go to school
Being underweight
In teenagers, symptoms may include…
Sadness
Irritability
Feeling negative and worthless
Anger
Poor performance in class
Poor attendance at school
Feeling misunderstood
Feeling extremely sensitive
Using recreational drugs or alcohol
Eating or sleeping too much
Loss of interest in normal activities
Avoidance of social interactions
Clinical Depression Symptoms in Older Adults
About 7 million adults over the age of 65 have a diagnosis of clinical depression. The suicide rate for older adults is more than 50% higher than the average rate for adults in the U.S. Untreated or misdiagnosed depression is the cause of up to ⅔ of suicides in older adults.
Depression is not a normal part of growing older. You should never take the symptoms of depression lightly.
Unfortunately, depression often goes undiagnosed and untreated in older adults. They may feel reluctant to seek help.
Symptoms of depression may be different or less obvious in older adults. Examples include…
Memory difficulties or personality changes
Physical aches or pain
Fatigue, loss of appetite, sleep problems, or loss of interest in sex — not caused by a medical condition or medication
Often wanting to stay at home, rather than go out to socialize or do new things
Suicidal thinking or feelings, especially in older men
Are Women at Higher Risk for Major Depression?
Almost twice as many women have clinical depression compared to men. Things like hormonal changes during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, miscarriage, and menopause may increase the risk of clinical depression presenting itself.
Other factors that boost the risk of clinical depression in women who are biologically vulnerable to it include…
Increased stress at home or at work
Balancing family life with career
Caring for an aging parent
Raising a child alone
What Are the Signs of Major Depression in Men?
Depression in men is significantly underreported. Men who suffer from clinical depression are less likely to seek help or even talk about their experiences.
Signs of depression in men may include…
Irritability
Anger
Drug and alcohol abuse
Substance abuse can also be a cause of depression rather than the result of it.
Suppressing negative feelings can result in violent behavior directed both inwardly and outwardly. It can also result in an increase in illness, suicide, and homicide.
Conclusion
If you read this far, you likely have a much better understanding of what clinical depression looks like and how it can affect you. If you feel like you have some of the symptoms listed above, it is important to talk to your doctor.
Living with depression is difficult. It can feel like an uphill battle. No matter how hard life becomes due to this mental illness, you don’t have to face it alone.
Luckily, there is hope! With the help of therapy and medication, clinical depression is treatable. Up to 80% of those treated for depression show an improvement in their symptoms after seeking help.
If there is someone in your life who exhibits many of these symptoms, please speak out. There are many numbers that you can call or text about mental illnesses.
The best thing you can do for someone who has some signs of clinical depression listed above is to talk to this individual, their family, spouse, and other influential people in their life.
In the meantime, there are some things you can do proactively to help with your depression. The best thing to do to help your doctors diagnose your condition is to document your symptoms in a visual way.
Chartam provides a mental health tool to help patients document their symptoms in a visual manner to help them better communicate with their doctors about their conditions.
If you would like to use a mental health planner when talking with your doctors, click here.
