How do you know if you are clinically depressed?!
Question: I haven't been genuinely happy in a really long time, like 4 months. I've gotten really great at faking it though, I don't think anyone suspects. I haven't been hungry at all, and I have trouble getting to sleep. I have thought about suicide, several times. I'm asking because I'm not telling my parents at all. They wouldn't believe me anywayz. Can anyone tell me if this sounds like clinical depression?
Answers: I haven't been genuinely happy in a really long time, like 4 months. I've gotten really great at faking it though, I don't think anyone suspects. I haven't been hungry at all, and I have trouble getting to sleep. I have thought about suicide, several times. I'm asking because I'm not telling my parents at all. They wouldn't believe me anywayz. Can anyone tell me if this sounds like clinical depression?
Yes it does. I myself was diagnosed with depression and ADD (not ADHD, I was never hyper active) when I was in 9th grade. I saw a doctor as well as took meds for 4 years. Once I turned 18 and I was no longer covered under my parents insurance I stopped both.
It's been 8 years since then, and I have to say, most of it has been pretty rough. From 22-24 I pretty much just wanted to die. It felt like I had nothing to show for my life up to that point, and believed I would never make anything of myself. The only reason I didn't kill myself is because logically I knew I would feel better if I did something to take my mind off it.
I tried to see someone about this at one point (doctors), and it only resulted in them making me feel defective, inferior, and unimportant as a person. ie: I was worse off than I was before I went to them for "help".
I tried going to friends... they ignored me. tried talking to my mom.... she didn't even listen to me (she said I only wanted attention and was full of sh*t). My only support system was myself in the end.
Things have improved, but only because I decided I no longer cared if my life sucked, or if I wasn't where I wanted to be at this stage in my life. I'm able to do this by filling my life with stuff to do. All of it combines to serve as a great distraction from how unhappy I really know I am.
Most of the time I am ok. No meds, no doctors, just me. There are bad days though where I do wish I didn't exist, but I don't find myself thinking of suicide much anymore. In those instances I don't want to hurt myself.... instead I just wish something would happen to me that would hurt me. But hey, a few days (some times a few hours) later and I'm fine again.
My personal opinion is that if you are depressed, it is usually easier to deal with it yourself. I of course am saying this because my experiences with "professional help" only ended with me being worse than I was when I started.
Parents don't always listen to you... they are in denial that their perfect child that they provided the perfect life for might have real problems and they choose to ignore it. Maybe you are lucky and your parents are more understanding and supportive of you emotionally than mine were.
Friends also tend to get flaky if you go to them. this is how I learned who my REAL friends were. Most people chose to ignore me because my view of life didn't fit into their little make believe fairytale view of what the world is (this is also where I started faking happiness as well, in order to not push people away).
The people who really cared about me helped where they could though, and I didn't need to fake for them.... but they had their own lives to deal with as well and were not always there when I needed them (hence why I had only myself to count on in the end).
Now... well now life is life. It's not great... it's not terrible.
The feeling of depression NEVER goes away. It's something that comes back to visit you over and over (like a really annoying neighbor), but in time you learn to deal with it and just take things a day at a time. You make plans for the future, do what you want to do, and if things get bad along the way you just deal with it best you can.
Something I learned recently that is slowly becoming more accepted is that depression seems to be a coping response for some people. Some people just have a hard time releasing anger, sadness, and stress the way most people do... and it tends to build up. The depression is a way of releasing all that stuff. I'm willing to bet you are like this.... reason being is because you are here talking about it. Generally people who become depressed to the point where they REALLY REALLY want to die don't talk about it. They just start to do things to themselves.
It sounds like something happened in your life, either a big traumatic event, or a lot of little things over a long time, and it's all just built up to the point where you don't know what to do with it all.
I really wish I knew a way to make you feel better. Something I could tell you that would make all the problems go away... but I don't think there is such a thing.
I'll stop there for now. If you need to talk, I can be contacted through my profile.
Why don't you see your physician? I was like that as well, and they did give me anti-depressants. I stopped taking them 3 years ago, and haven't been on them since. I really hope that you find what you're looking for in life and do become happy. My parents didn't believe me either, and I used to cut myself...known fact...I understand completely, and it wasn't just "some guy" I was upset with either..
Yes, when you have thoughts of suicide you should probably seek professional help !!!
clinical depression can only be diagnosed by a professional. not someone on answers.
tell a teacher tell a school counselor tell the prinicpal tell a pastor tell a family member this is a wake up call for parents out there pay attention to your kids before something terrible happens get help child tell someone only will you ask for help then your problems will get better email any one of us and we will respond back to you
Sounds like depression to me! You must tell your parents, they can help and I pray they take you seriously because it sounds like you're genuinely hurting. Good luck and remember if they don't "get" that you have a real problem, speak to a school counselor or pastor at your church. Any trusted adult should help. Good luck!
actually, it sounds more like a situation of changing hormones and the normal distancing activity that every teenager has to go thru.
Clinical depression is usually diagnosed after YEARs of issues, not just a few months.
If you can still "fake" being happy, you aren't depressed, just overwhelmed with all the changes going on in your life. Bet you would benefit from some counselling, just to get things off your chest and hear another point of view on your issues.
I have a question for you... whats so bad in your life that makes you so miserable?
DON'T HESITATE TO GET HELP. BASED ON MEDICAL DEPRESSION SCALES USED TO ASSESS DEPRESSION, YOUR DESCRIBED SYMPTOMS INDICATE THAT YOU ARE DEPRESSED. YOU NEED TO REACH OUT TO SOMEONE YOU TRUST AND GET PROFESSIONAL HELP. THE FACT THAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR HELP ON YAHOO IS GOOD, BUT YOU REALLY NEED TO LOOK FOR HELP THROUGH FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO DIRECT TO PROFESSIONAL HELP.
Yes it does...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_de...
Clinical depression (also called major-depressive disorder or unipolar depression) is a common psychiatric disorder, characterized by a persistent lowering of mood, loss of interest in usual activities and diminished ability to experience pleasure.
Clinical depression can present with a variety of symptoms, however almost all patients display a marked change in mood, a deep feeling of sadness, and a noticeable loss of interest or pleasure in favorite activities. Other symptoms include:
*Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
*Loss of appetite and/or weight loss, or conversely overeating and weight gain
*Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
*Restlessness or irritability
*Feelings of worthlessness, inappropriate guilt, helplessness
*Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
*Difficulty thinking, concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
*Thoughts of death or suicide or attempts at suicide
*Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
*Decreased energy, fatigue, feeling "slowed down" or sluggish
*Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain
Start off your road to recovery with a trip to your general practitioner and tell him/her EXACTLY what you have told us...
DON'T SUGAR COAT ANYTHING...
DON'T LEAVE ANYTHING OUT...
THE LAST PERSON YOU SHOULD LIE TO OR HIDE THINGS FROM IS YOUR DOCTOR!!!
Start looking for help... You CAN feel better... It may take some time and it may take a bunch of effort on your part but it CAN be helped.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!
talk to your parents they have to help that's what they are there for
well ath the moment im studying depression, there are amny types of it.
one symptom of clinical depression is not going out, withdrawing from your friends and turning social offers down. First your friends will sympathise then after a while they will get fed up and leave you. Then you get even worse.
(they only leave you beacuse they dont understand one is depressed)
Clinical depression is the term for being diagnosed by a clinician as being depressed. It sounds however as though you are depressed. Do you have any sort of Dr appointment coming up that you could discuss this with them? If not you may need to approach the subject with your parents. If you feel uncomfortable about that, try talking to your school counselor. They should be able to help you figure out a way to get the help you need. There is absolutely no reason to suffer with depression. There are many resources to help you -- from medication to counseling. Don't let it rule your life.. you need to rule it! Best of luck to you,