What is the most harmful symptom of depression?

Suicidal Thoughts: An Emergency
For people who are severely depressed, suicide is a real threat. Each year, about 30,000 people in the U.S. take their own lives, although the true number may be higher.


What is the most serious form of depression?

Clinical depression is the more-severe form of depression, also known as major depression or major depressive disorder. It isn't the same as depression caused by a loss, such as the death of a loved one, or a medical condition, such as a thyroid disorder.

What is considered the most serious complication of depression?

Clinical depression can complicate serious health conditions such as heart disease or cancer. Depression can lead to problems with pain, sexual desire and performance, and sleep. The more you know about depression complications, the more you'll understand why it's important to not let clinical depression go untreated.


What is the number one symptom of depression?

Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness. Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters. Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies or sports. Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much.

What is the most common complication of depression?

Depression can cause sleep problems and sleep problems can make depression worse. Sleep deprivation attacks the areas left most vulnerable by depression: energy level, mood, and clarity of thinking.


5 Signs of Depression that You Should Never Ignore.



What happens if I don't treat depression?

Untreated depression increases the chance of risky behaviors such as drug or alcohol addiction. It also can ruin relationships, cause problems at work, and make it difficult to overcome serious illnesses. Clinical depression, also known as major depression, is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts.

What are the three most serious symptoms of depression?

Such depression interferes with your daily life and relationships. But some cases of depression are more severe, with intense symptoms that may include significant appetite and weight loss, sleep problems, and frequent thoughts of death or suicide.

What are 5 signs of major depression?

Signs and Symptoms
  • Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood.
  • Feelings of hopelessness, or pessimism.
  • Feelings of irritability, frustration, or restlessness.
  • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness.
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities.
  • Decreased energy, fatigue, or feeling "slowed down"


What is depression mostly caused by?

There's no single cause of depression. It can occur for a variety of reasons and it has many different triggers. For some people, an upsetting or stressful life event, such as bereavement, divorce, illness, redundancy and job or money worries, can be the cause. Different causes can often combine to trigger depression.

What makes more depressed?

Stress, Health, and Hormones

Things like stress, using alcohol or drugs, and hormone changes also affect the brain's delicate chemistry and mood. Some health conditions may cause depression-like symptoms. For example, hypothyroidism is known to cause a depressed mood in some people. Mono can drain a person's energy.

What is the most serious form of mental illness?

By all accounts, serious mental illnesses include “schizophrenia-spectrum disorders,” “severe bipolar disorder,” and “severe major depression” as specifically and narrowly defined in DSM. People with those disorders comprise the bulk of those with serious mental illness.


Can depression lead you to hospital?

In some people, depression is so severe that a hospital stay is needed. This may be necessary if you can't care for yourself properly or when you're in immediate danger of harming yourself or someone else.

Is depression a life threatening illness?

Just as cancer may go into remission but still kill in the end, depression is a chronic disease that may ultimately prove fatal even with state-of-the-art care and resources.

Why depression is a serious matter?

Depression causes people to lose pleasure in daily life, can complicate other medical conditions, and can even be serious enough to lead to suicide . While certain factors increase the risk of developing depression, it can affect anyone, at any age, and of any race or ethnic group.


Is there a way out of severe depression?

Being depressed can make you feel helpless. You're not. Along with therapy and sometimes medication, there's a lot you can do on your own to fight back. Changing your behavior -- your physical activity, lifestyle, and even your way of thinking -- are all natural depression treatments.

What does severe level of depression mean?

Anhedonia (the loss of interest or pleasure) along with non-somatic symptoms was an indicator of severe depression. Along with losing interest in things that used to be pleasurable, people with severe depression are more likely to experience symptoms such as feelings of worthlessness and thoughts of death.

What depression does to the brain?

As depression starts to affect the brain's chemical balances, neurons in the hippocampus shrink, which can cause difficulty concentrating and memory loss. A shrunken hippocampus can also make completing familiar tasks difficult, which can lead to hopelessness, guilt, and anxiety.


Who mostly gets depression?

Women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression. Depression can occur at any age.

What are 10 major causes of depression?

What causes depression?
  • childhood experiences.
  • life events.
  • other mental health problems.
  • physical health problems.
  • genetic inheritance.
  • medication, recreational drugs and alcohol.
  • sleep, diet and exercise.


What are the four levels of depression?

Types of major depression include melancholia, psychotic and antenatal or postnatal. You may be diagnosed with mild, moderate or severe depression.


What are the 9 characteristics of depression?

Signs of Depression
  • Hopeless outlook.
  • Lost interest.
  • Fatigue.
  • Anxiety.
  • Irritability in men.
  • Appetite changes.
  • Emotions.
  • Suicidal thoughts.


What are the symptoms of last stage of depression?

Depression symptoms include:
  • Feeling very sad, hopeless or worried.
  • Not enjoying things that used to give you joy.
  • Being easily irritated or frustrated.
  • Eating too much or too little.
  • Changes in how much you sleep.
  • Having a difficult time concentrating or remembering things.


What does a breakdown feel like?

feel overwhelmed — unable to concentrate or make decisions. be moody — feeling low or depression; feeling burnt out; emotional outbursts of uncontrollable anger, fear, helplessness or crying. feel depersonalised — not feeling like themselves or feeling detached from situations.


Can untreated depression cause brain damage?

Depression may cause the release of glucocorticoid in the brain, a type of steroid that can damage the hippocampus and other areas of the central nervous system. When this occurs, you may experience symptoms associated with neurocognitive disorder (dementia), such as memory loss.

How long should you treat depression?

Under American Psychiatric Association guidelines, if you are taking an antidepressant for your first depressive episode, you should stay on it for at least 4 or 5 months after your symptoms of depression stop.