Difference between revisions of "Clinical depression"
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(terms don't cause economic depressions, but that typo wasn't too far off. Confidence is a major factor) |
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'''Depression''' means feeling [[sad]] or [[melancholic]] for a long time and losing in interest in activities that are usually enjoyable. | '''Depression''' means feeling [[sad]] or [[melancholic]] for a long time and losing in interest in activities that are usually enjoyable. | ||
| − | Mental health professionals call depression a [[mental illness]] | + | Mental health professionals call depression a [[mental illness]],<ref> "Depression is a mental illness that can affect mood, cognition, and physiological functioning. Each year about 21 million American adults (nearly 10% of the population) suffer from depression or a related illnessRobins, L.N. & Regier, D.A. (1990). Psychiatric Disorders in America: The Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study. New York: The Free Press.</ref> identified by the following primary [[symptom]]s: |
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*significant, unintentional [[weight loss]] | *significant, unintentional [[weight loss]] | ||
*difficulty sleeping or oversleeping | *difficulty sleeping or oversleeping | ||
Revision as of 18:07, December 9, 2007
The term depression can also refer to a period of economic downturn, such as the Great Depression of the 1930s.
Depression means feeling sad or melancholic for a long time and losing in interest in activities that are usually enjoyable.
Mental health professionals call depression a mental illness,[1] identified by the following primary symptoms:
- significant, unintentional weight loss
- difficulty sleeping or oversleeping
- restlessness
- fatigue or loss of energy
- feeling worthless or inappropriately guilty
- difficulty thinking or concentrating
- thoughts of suicide[2].
While everyone experiences symptoms of depression from time to time,Template:Science-fact these symptoms are usually transient and often in response to outside stressors. Although depression is sometimes triggered by life events, sufferers also often describe feeling sad for no reason at all.Template:Science-fact
Depressive Disorders
Major Depressive Disorder.
Dysthymia.
Bipolar Disorder.
References
- ↑ "Depression is a mental illness that can affect mood, cognition, and physiological functioning. Each year about 21 million American adults (nearly 10% of the population) suffer from depression or a related illnessRobins, L.N. & Regier, D.A. (1990). Psychiatric Disorders in America: The Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study. New York: The Free Press.
- ↑ American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.