Do You Have Major Depression or the Blues?

Too many people with mental health conditions like major depression do not realize they have a problem that could be treated. Many people confuse the blues and major depression, but the two issues have very different implications and long-term impacts.

Do you know the symptoms of the blues and major depression? Learning about the key differences could help you seek the treatment you need to feel better.

The blues is commonly associated with a traumatic event, grief, or something else negative occurring in one's life. Naturally, people who experience setbacks in life will feel negatively about it to some degree. One key component of the blues is that people who live with it know they will bounce back eventually.

Essentially, the blues is a brief feeling of sadness. In the grand scheme of things, the blues do not prevent a person from feeling enjoyment in their life. They may not have physical symptoms of the blues that accompany any potential psychological effects. Generally, the symptoms last less than two weeks.

The blues often happen because of a sudden life change, like the end of a relationship or the death of a loved one. The blues also comes with periods of adjustment, perhaps to a new job or a new home. The key point here is that the symptoms typically pass.

People with major depression experience long-term symptoms of depression. While a setback may occur and time moves on, somebody with major depression may not necessarily bounce back. The symptoms linger, impacting aspects of life including recreation, physical fitness, and sleep.

Feelings of depression, sadness, and tearfulness are common signs of depression, but they do not have to be. Other symptoms are also incredibly common, including significant weight loss or weight gain. Sudden loss of interest in activities one used to enjoy is also common.

Some people with depression have unclear, unfocused thoughts. They may struggle to maintain focus and concentration and become easily distracted. They may also feel unmotivated and unable to make decisions.

Sometimes depression has a physical component. Some people with the condition literally experience aches and pains, sometimes accompanied by fatigue and muscle weakness.

Suicidal thoughts can occur in those who have major depression, and the ideation may persist. For those who initially experienced depression linked to another major life event, suicidal thoughts continue long after the initial stimulus.

Certain risk factors are associated with major depression. For example, women are more likely to have the condition than men are. Women may experience the condition as part of postpartum depression, and those with bipolar and other types of depression may experience symptoms. Depression has genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological roots.

In order to receive a diagnosis of depression, these symptoms must persist for at least two weeks. In many cases, they go on for much longer. Keep in mind that some people experience some symptoms but not others.

For people with major depression, medication and therapy are both possible options for treatment. Just as depression does not affect any two people in exactly the same way, neither does treatment. Finding the treatment that works best for you may take some time - the earlier you get started, the better.

Heritage Mental Health Clinicoffers a group of psychiatrists, social workers, and psychologists who provide high-quality outpatient services to people like you. Each staff member brings different skills and enthusiasm to the table. Call our office today to set up an appointment with a caring and professional staff member who can discuss major depression with you.