Everyone knows what it feels like to be “sad,” “down,” or “blue.” We all know what it is like to experience sadness, disappointment, guilt, regret, and loss. Sometimes, we know why we are feeling “down” or “depressed” and sometimes we do not.
Often, feeling bad for a short time is valuable in helping us understand that something is wrong, that we have a problem that needs to be solved, or that we need to make a difficult decision. However, depression is different.
Major depressive disorder (MDD) often occurs after a person has experienced a loss, rejection, or defeat. However, MDD is characterized by strong and persistent negative feelings much stronger than simply being “sad” or “blue” that interfere with our ability to cope and make decisions.
If you have been experiencing several of the following symptoms for two weeks or more then you may be suffering from MDD:
Persistent sad, depressed mood
Loss of interest, pleasure or enjoyment
Anger or irritability
Loss of energy or fatigue
Difficulties with memory, attention and concentration
Changes in appetite
Weight loss or weight gain
Sleeping more or less
Feeling hopeless, helpless, worthless or guilty
Negative thoughts about the future
Thoughts of death or suicide
People who are depressed are usually feeling overwhelmed and hopeless and often view seeking help as an admission of failure. We all must fight this stigma. Depression is not a sign of weakness or a personal or moral failure. People who are suffering from depression can’t just “tough it out” or “pull it together” and hope to get better. Without adequate treatment, the symptoms of depression can last for many months or many years.
Fortunately, there is effective treatment available. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been demonstrated to be one of the most effective available treatments for MDD. MDD often accompanies other kinds of problems, including anxiety. A proper and thorough differential diagnostic assessment by a psychiatrist or psychologist is the first step towards effective treatment.
Simply put, dysthymia is a slightly milder but more chronic form of major depressive disorder (MDD). People can suffer from symptoms of low-grade depression for years but never quite meet the diagnostic criteria for MDD. However, even being “almost clinically depressed” for years can be pretty miserable. In fact, most people with dysthymia will also experience MDD at some time in their lives.
Dysthymia may not be quite as distressing and disabling as MDD, but it certainly interferes with functioning and well-being. People with dysthymia may sometimes feel “okay” or enjoy something they are doing, but they will often describe themselves as never being very happy for very long. People with dysthymia are often feeling so bad for so long that they start to think that the problem is their personality and that they are just unhappy, miserable people.
Fortunately, there is effective treatment available. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been demonstrated to be one of the most effective available treatments for dysthymia. As with MDD, a proper and thorough differential diagnostic assessment by a psychiatrist or psychologist is the first step towards effective treatment.
