Define depression medical

How to know if someone is depressed? What drugs are prescribed for depression? Can medical doctors diagnose depression? What medical conditions are associated with depression?

Depression is not the same as a passing blue mood.

It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be wished away. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Clinical depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with everyday life for weeks or more.

According to the World Health Organization, it is the leading cause of disability worldwide among people aged years and older. 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.

A mental disorder characterised by severe depression lasting essentially without remission for at least two weeks, with symptoms that interfere with the ability to work, sleep, eat and enjoy once-pleasurable activities.

English dictionary definition of depression. The condition of being depressed. Compare clinical depression. If depression or mania springs from an underlying medical problem, the mood changes should disappear after the medical condition is treated.

If you have hypothyroidism, for example, lethargy and depression often lift once treatment regulates the level of thyroid hormone in your blood. Proper diagnosis of geriatric depression can be difficult. The first medical point of contact for older adults is typically their regular doctor. If they are in an assisted living facility, care.

A depression is a severe and prolonged downturn in the economy. Prices fall, reducing purchasing power. There tends to be high unemployment, lower productivity, shrinking wages, and general economic pessimism. Medical Author: William C. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame.

There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. Postpartum depression may occur when the baby blues do not fade away or when signs of depression start or more months after childbirth. The symptoms of postpartum depression are the same as the symptoms of depression that occurs at other times in life.

Its impact on functioning and well-being has been compared to that of other chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes. Learn more about the symptoms, different types, and treatment options. Most people feel this way once in a while. It occurs when feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration get in the way of your life over a long period of time. It also changes how your body works.

Major depression is a mood disorder. Sometimes depression co-exists with a major illness or may be triggered by another medical condition. Nearly of people with substance abuse problems also have major or.

To view the entire topic, please sign in or purchase a subscription. Find 60medical and nursing definitions. The reported prevalence of major depressive episodes in physically ill patients varies from to more than. However, because depression is often unrecognized and undertreated in sick patients, the prevalence reported in most studies is probably an underestimate.

Those who suffer from depression experience persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness and lose interest in activities they once enjoyed. If you have postpartum depression , prompt treatment can help you manage your symptoms and help you bond with your baby.