Medication To Ease Symptoms
Often depression sufferers are prescribed such as antidepressants to ease the emotional and physical symptoms of depression. These medications are not considered a long-term solution, but rather a part of an integrated treatment approach to help the individual get back into a headspace where they can focus on and participate in psychotherapy, which is considered a more effective long-term treatment approach.
Our medical-team will collaborate with your doctor and work towards tapering you off medication as your condition improves.
Difference Between Depression And Clinical Depression
Key Difference: Depression is small bouts of sadness that arise from certain situations, while clinical depression is when patients suffer from sadness throughout the day.
Depression is something that everyone has faced at one point in their life or another. Sadness is a part of life, which can be considered as a wheel that has its ups and downs. While, normal sadness fades or becomes less hurtful, depression is type of condition that tends to stay and hinder how the person functions.
The term depression is something not a lot of people understand as they tend to believe that every small periods of sadness can be considered as depression. This is the reason why many experts suggest that one should not diagnose themselves and instead get a professional opinion before considering themselves as depressed. There are many different forms of depression, including clinical depression.
The small bouts of sadness that comes and goes does not fall into depression but instead is termed as sadness. The term depression is rather hard to define as it is actually an umbrella term for various different types of depression: Major Depression, Persistent Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Seasonal Affective Disorder , Psychotic Depression, Postpartum Depression, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder , ‘Situational’ Depression, and Atypical Depression.
Comparison between Depression and Clinical Depression:
The Difference Between Situational Depression And Clinical Depression
The definition of situationaldepression and clinical depression varies with people. For some, situational depression can be stress after traumatic events such as losing a job or getting dumped by a lover. This type of depression is usually mild and lasts for a shorter period.
On the other hand, clinical depression is a severe type of depression that may last longer than a couple of weeks. It needs specific treatments that include medications withantidepressants and psychotherapy.
Most of the symptoms of these two types are similar, but both of them are different medical conditions. Understanding that difference is your first step towards getting the right help.
In medical terms, situational depression is known as a disorder caused by depressed mood. It is time-specific, and just talking about the issue can boost the recovery process.
Clinical depression is a severe mental disorder. If one does not get rid of situational depression on time, it may lead to clinical depression, and medically, it is seen as a serious mental health issue.
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Situational Depression Is Triggered By A Specific Stressor And Is Not Permanent Whereas Clinical Depression Is More Severe And Long
Situational depression, or adjustment disorder, is prompted by a significant change in a persons life, such as the birth of a baby, the death of a loved one or the loss of a relationship. Other significant changes can include an accident, traumatic episode or other considerable life change. Situational depression is not long-lasting and symptoms typically tend to resolve themselves within several months of the event.
Situational depression has some similarities to clinical depression, which is also known as major depressive disorder, especially as it pertains to symptoms. However, clinical depression is more severe and symptoms are not necessarily connected to a particular event.
Make Time For Yourself
Remember the alone time we mentioned earlier? Well, daily making time for yourself is another way you can deal with situational depression. Otherwise known as a self-care routine, set aside sometime every day to do things you love, such as reading, watching YouTube videos, drawing or painting, sewing, and more. Applying your energy to work, school and family can be physically and mentally exhausting, so its important to make some me time for yourself every day.
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How To Treat Clinical Depression
If you are suffering from clinical depression or you noticed you have most of the disorder’s symptoms mentioned above, seek help as soon as possible.
It would be best if you talked to a General practitioner.
A General practitioner would run tests to ensure you have no underlying health conditions with similar symptoms like an underactive thyroid.
When you’ve been diagnosed with clinical depression by the GP, they will recommend one or more of these treatments.
Identifying Symptoms Of Situational Depression
Situational vs. clinical depression symptoms are similar. While not as severe as clinical depression symptoms, situational depression symptoms cause significant distress and interfere with daily functioning. Teens with this form of depression usually begin experiencing symptoms within three months of the stressful event or situation. These symptoms include the following:
- Sadness, frequent crying, and low mood
- Inability to concentrate
- Withdrawal from social activities and other activities
- Having a hard time enjoying things or experiencing pleasure
- Feeling hopeless
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Techniques To Cope With Situational Depression
evidenceExerciseSituational and clinical depression have long been perceived to be different disease processes. However, recent scientific studies have had trouble identifying distinguishing differences between the two, besides an inciting event. People who have been depressed are more likely to be depressed again this poses a risk to people who have experienced situational depression. A depressed individual, whether situationally or clinically, should learn coping techniques to build their emotional resilience and understand their emotions to lessen their symptoms. Therapy, journaling, goal-setting, caretaking, and exercise are all proven methods to decrease depression. Here at Casa Recovery, we can help you to make positive strides in your mental health. We offer coping skills training, life skills training, holistic treatment, and many different therapeutic modalities to help you avoid a future depressive episode or mitigate the effects if one occurs. Call or text to talk to a professional about treatment options today.
When To Seek Help For Situational Depression
If youre experiencing situational depression following a disruption or change in your life, talk with your doctor about how youre feeling. He or she will talk you through your symptoms, your health history and recent events in your life, which can help determine a diagnosis.
To diagnose situational depression, a doctor is looking for three determining factors:
If youre diagnosed with situational depression, your doctor will recommend a treatment strategy based on the severity of your symptoms. In some cases, depression may resolve on its own without any active treatment. But more severe cases of situational depression may require a combination of therapies to get you back to feeling your best.
Treatment for situational depression may include medications like antidepressants to counteract chemical changes in the brain. It may also involve psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, which can teach you coping methods to help you manage your condition, improve your quality of life and handle future changes.
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Personality Traits Or Disorders
Individuals who suffer from personality traits or disorders like negative emotionality/neuroticism, positive emotionality/extraversion, conscientiousness, low self-esteem, and are introverted are at a higher risk of being clinically depressed.
Most people develop these traits or disorders due to genetics or trauma from early life experiences.
Telling The Difference Between Situational And Clinical Depression
Since clinical depression and situational depression share many of the same symptoms, how can you tell them apart? With situational depression, its common for people to find their own way out, given some time to heal. Mental health professionals recommend healthy changes to your lifestyle, which can help you overcome situational depression. Some of these behaviors include:
Participating in a new hobby Keeping a consistent sleep schedule Sharing your feelings with family and friends Getting regular exercise
Usually, clinical depression leads to physical symptoms like insomnia and weight changes that situational depression does not. Clinical depression can also cause hallucinations and delusions. If you start to experience physical symptoms like these, its important that you reach out to your doctor as soon as possible.
Unlike situational depression, treatment for clinical depression takes a much more tailored focus. If youre suffering from clinical depression, its important to seek professional help. For example, The Raleigh House offers outpatient mental health treatment that offers a personalized approach to treating your depression.
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Differentiating Between Grief And Depression
Many people, just like you, delay getting treatment. They assume their symptoms are part of a natural process and dont have a real understanding of situational depression.
To help you tell the difference between sorrow and situational depression, you may want to consider this, any emotion or behavior that interferes with your job, your relationships, and your enjoyment of once pleasurable activities should be evaluated with the help of a qualified professional.
Depression can change the way you think and how your body responds to stress. You do not have to battle the symptoms of situational depression on your own. In Clark County, Washington, contact Real Life Counseling Above all, a therapist will help you learn practical techniques to manage your symptoms and reduce the risk of your situational depression progressing.
Need someone to talk with? We can help.
Can You Explain The Difference Between Situational Depression And Clinical Depression
Those terms can have different meaning to different people.
To some people situational depression means depression that comes on after a stressful or traumatic eventfor example, ending a relationship or losing a job. Other people use the term situational depression to refer to depression that is milder or shorter in duration.
The first definition of situational depression doesnt tell us much about a recommended treatment. There is a traditional belief that depression following a stressful or traumatic event is more psychological than biological, in which case psychotherapy would be recommended over medication. But the evidence does not support that belief: both psychotherapy and medication are effective for the treatment of depression, whether it follows a specific event or not.
The second definition of situational depression, meaning milder or more transient depression, would be important in recommending treatment. Any specific treatmentmedication or psychotherapyis most clearly helpful when depression is more severe and longer-lasting. Depression that is mild or brief will often improve with time and good self-care. For milder or shorter-term depression, treatment with medication or psychotherapy is often not necessary however, depression that is more severe and longer in duration is less likely to improve without specific treatment. We usually recommend psychotherapy and antidepressant medication for depression that is especially severe or long-lasting.
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Spend Time With Loved Ones
Isolation is a common symptom of depression, but its crucial to remain close to the people who love you. Whether its a parent, friend, cousin, or spouse, these are the people who can make you smile and laugh when you dont want to. Although well talk about how important alone time is in a second, its equally important to surround yourself with a strong support system as a way of overcoming situational depression. In doing so, you might even be helping the other person if theyre also experiencing a similar struggle, such as sharing the death of a loved one in the family.
Situational Depression Can Lead To Physical Depression And Vice Versa
Sometimes I have people ask me if they should be doing therapy also. The answer is always yes, if it helps you. Getting as much help and support as you can is always a good idea.
Depression isnt always just 100% situational or 100% biological.
Being physically depressed to where you have no energy can make it so you miss days at work. This causes you to lose your job. You then dig yourself into a hole and lose touch with friends, and now you are in both a physically and situationally bad place.
If someone you love dies and you lose your home, the stress can wear you out. Being worn down can cause you to become depleted of b vitamins, and now the situation just caused your body to break down and physically it isnt running properly.
Both your situation and your physical state play into each other. You can have situational depression and biological depression. They interact. You always want to be able to attack depression from all angles.
The only thing I have noticed, however, is that society as a whole has done a really good job at providing resources for helping people with situational problems, and very little on fixing the root causes physically.
If someone has physical root causes, it doesnt matter how much therapy you do. No matter how many hours you spend with a therapist, that wont change a vitamin d deficiency. You just need to take vitamin d.
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When To See A Doctor
If your situational depression lasts longer than a few weeks and doesnât seem to get better, talk to a doctor or professional therapist.
They can help you figure out if youâre going through a rough patch of sadness or if itâs situational or clinical depression.
A therapist can give you space to talk about what youâre going through and create a treatment plan that includes a combination of support, education, and coping tools. They may recommend a combination of psychotherapy and medication.
To find a therapist, talk to your primary care doctor or visit the National Association of Mental Illness at nami.org.
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Situational Depression Vs Clinical Depression
Depression affects roughly 10% of U.S. adults at some point in their lives. There are several different types of clinical depression or depressive disorders that can be diagnosed and treated, as well as a short-term, more transitory type called situational depression.
There is an important distinction to be made between situational depression vs clinical depression. Clinical depression can be chronic and can recur for years, while situational depression is usually a shorter bout of deep sadness that is tied to a particular eventa major life change, illness or trauma, the death of a loved one, a divorce or the loss of a job. Here are some basics to help you further distinguish between situational depression vs clinical depression.
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A Closer Look At Situational Depression
Situational depressionalso known as adjustment disorder with depressed mood, a reference to how it manifestsoccurs when a person has difficulty adjusting to a life circumstance or event, resulting in depression.
There are multiple types of depression defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, but the one most people are familiar with is clinical depression. Clinical depression, formally known as major depressive disorder, causes a persistently depressed mood and the impairment of daily life.
Situational depression differs from clinical depression or a major depressive episode because it is brought on by a specific trauma and typically lasts for a shorter time period. In cases where situational depression doesnt resolve itself, a person may ultimately develop longer-lasting and more severe clinical depression.
Prevalence Of Situational Depression
Situational depression is one of the most commonly used diagnosis in clinical practice, but is understudied and has limited research. Situational depression statistics show that the disorder is extremely common and impacts people regardless of culture, gender or age.
Situational depression is equally prevalent in men and women and varies in development and expression in different cultures. The prevalence of situational depression diagnosed in primary care facilities ranges from 3-10%, while the prevalence ranges from 5-20% in outpatient mental health treatment facilities and 50% or higher in-hospital psychiatric screenings.
Situational depression statistics show that there is a 1-2% prevalence of situational depression in the general population in the United States. Another study shows that the prevalence of situational depression in a multinational study is 0.2-1%
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How Its Different From Clinical Depression
Situational depression may feel similar to clinical, or major depression, but itâs different.
Situational depression is caused by a stressful or traumatic event. Your symptoms, which may be similar to symptoms of clinical depression, are a reaction to the event. They may show up within a few months, as you try to manage the changes that are happening.
Clinical depression is a mood disorder that may happen with or without a specific stressor. The most common symptom is a depressed mood that you have on most days, for a long time. Itâs usually more severe than situational depression and typically lasts longer.
Symptoms of situational depression may include:
Situational depression often improves after enough time passes after the stressful event. You may notice your mood improve and things start to look up.
Clinical depression, on the other hand, may get in the way of your life for a long time. It may disrupt your sleep, eating habits, lifestyle, and work. With clinical depression, you have a higher risk of suicide.
If situational depression goes on a long time and you donât treat it, it may turn into clinical depression.
Also Known As Adjustment Disorder
Steven Gans, MD, is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.
As most people know, depression is a common mental health condition in fact, according to the National Institute of Mental Health , in 2017 an estimated 17.3 million adults in the U.S. suffered from at least one major depressive episode in a 12-month time span. But not all depression is the same.
Unlike a diagnosis of major depressive disorder, you wont find the term “situational depression” in the DSM-5 .
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