They happen for all of us from time to time in our lifetime. They occur as natural emotional responses to difficult life experiences, such as disappointments, losses in friendships or relationships, death of a loved one and even life transitions. Coping with these normal feelings is best handled by acknowledging them, talking about them with friends and family, and keeping them in perspective. When this happens, there is a good chance that someone is suffering from clinical depression, and should seek the help of a mental health professional as soon as possible. Clinical depression is a disturbance of mood that is characterized by sadness and depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure in nearly all activities, and feelings of worthlessness, helplessness and hopelessness.
Depression can be overwhelming and pervasive, affecting many areas of one's life.
In some cases, the feelings can become so overwhelming that one thinks the only option is hurting themselves or ending their life. The ability to recognize these symptoms and patterns in yourself or someone you know can help ward off severe depression and even possibly negative events, such as academic trouble, losing a job, and even hurting one's self. If you or someone you know is experiencing depression, the best thing to do is seek help. With treatment, people often report significant relief within four to six weeks. Untreated, depression can last many months to even years, sometimes with grave consequences.