How Depressed Am I?

Everybody gets depressed at least once in their life. For most people, the symptoms subside on their own. But for others, they linger and worsen, interfering with daily life until the condition becomes debilitating. If you suffer from depression, read on to learn more about its symptoms and treatment options.

What is depression?

Depression, also known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression, “is a common but serious mood disorder. It causes severe symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working. To be diagnosed with depression, the symptoms must be present for at least two weeks.”

Ignoring symptoms of depression can have serious consequences, sometimes leading to suicide. Many of the symptoms can be treated with therapies like ketamine.

Warning signs

Depression and mental illness have their own warning signs in adolescents and adults, but some are more obvious than others:

Excessive worry or fear
Sadness
Extreme mood changes
Easily irritated or angered
Trouble perceiving reality
Mysterious physical ailments without sign of injury or another cause
Trouble sleeping
Difficulty with relationships

Key facts about depression

Depression affects more than 250 million people globally.
“Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease.”
Women are more at risk than men to suffer mild, moderate, or even severe symptoms of depression.
In a 2019 survey, 2.8% of adults had severe depression symptoms, 4.2% suffered from moderate symptoms, and 11.5% experienced mild symptoms in the previous two weeks before the survey.
People 18- to 25-years old are at the highest risk for depression.
More than 3 million adolescents 12- to 17-years old are depressed in any given year.

If you’re suffering from symptoms of depression and don’t know where to turn, consider talking with a doctor or licensed mental health provider. People often brush off the symptoms, thinking their mood swings or emotions result from a bad day at work, school, or a domestic squabble. It’s probably more than that.

Here are some questions to ask yourself, which will help you understand what’s going on and help your doctor or therapist treat your depression.

Do I have trouble falling asleep?
How well do I sleep during the night?
Do I wake up too early or sleep too much?
How often do I feel sad?
Is my appetite normal?
Is my weight okay?
Do I have trouble concentrating or making decisions?
How do I view myself?
Do I think about death or suicide?
Am I still interested in hobbies or pastimes?
How’s my energy level?
Do I feel restless?
Do I seem to move or talk in slow motion?

Types of depression

Major types of depression include:

Persistent depressive disorder is a depressed mood that lasts for at least two years
Postpartum depression primarily affects women after childbirth but also has been observed in spouses and other children
Seasonal affective disorder mostly happens during the winter or colder months when there’s less natural sunlight, and people spend more time indoors
Bipolar disorder is different from depression, but it’s a kind of mental illness with symptoms of major depression

How to diagnose depression

Your doctor or therapist can diagnose your depression. For diagnosis, your symptoms will be compared to criteria in the DSM-5. You’ll also likely undergo a physical and mental health exam to uncover possible causes for depression and will be asked questions about your personal and family history of mental illness.

Treatment options

Even the most serious cases of depression can be treated by psychotherapy, medicine, or a combination of two. Your doctor may recommend self-help options like breathing, meditation, and relaxation techniques, depending on your health and other factors. The treatment always depends on the clinical diagnosis and will last several months.

Ketamine and depression

In March 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of ketamine to treat depression in adults. It was the first new medicine approved for depression in more than 30 years and has opened a world of possibilities for people who suffered from treatment-resistant depression – or depression that couldn’t be treated with other medicine or therapy. The medicine has shown great promise. It’s available by prescription and is dispensed through licensed ketamine clinics.

Final thoughts

Ketamine started as a fast-acting anesthetic and pain reliever, an innovative new treatment option. Research in the last two decades has shown that ketamine is a powerful new tool for the treatment of depression.

Ketamine works to stimulate the growth and regrowth of neurotransmitters in the brain, essentially rewriting the parts of the brain causing distress. Up to 70% of patients may be able to find relief from the symptoms of depression after a series of IV ketamine infusions.

What is depression?

Warning signs

Key facts about depression