by Dorothy Sander

Created on: April 22, 2009   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

Are you wondering if you or a loved one is suffering from a clinical depression? It is sometimes hard even for the person who is familiar with depression to know when a mild depression crosses the line and becomes clinical depression. The following steps can help you make an informed decision and decide on an action.

Understand the Nature of Depression

Depression is an illness that afflicts people in different ways in varying degrees. Most of the time, we use the term depression to refer to feelings of sadness and/or a lack of interest in life. These feelings can be brought on by circumstances, life changes, physiological changes, a genetic predisposition to depression or any combination. A mild depression will usually pass in time, with the help of therapy; time, or changes a person makes in their circumstances. This is often referred to as "situational depression" as it is brought on by something in the person's life. This type of low grade depression generally will go away on its own as the individual deals practically and psychologically with the situation that brought it on. Proper diet, exercise, sufficient sleep and making decisions can all bring relief to a situational depression.

Clinical depression is something altogether different. It carries the same symptoms but the degree is severe and the pain and discomfort is persistent. Those suffering from a clinical depression are affected by it in almost every area of their lives. More often than not, medical treatment is necessary to bring about relief.

Know the Symptoms of Depression

According to the American Psychiatric Association a person can be diagnosed with clinical depression if they have five or more of the following conditions most of the day, every day and lasting at least two weeks.

Depressed or sad mood

Diminished interest in normal activities and pleasures

A marked increase or decrease in appetite

Sleeping too little or too much

Abnormally restless or abnormally slow moving

Loss of energy and excessive fatigue

Feelings of excessive guilt or worthlessness

Difficulty making decisions and concentrating

Thoughts of suicide or death

Others symptoms of clinical depression can include excessive crying or severe bouts of irritability and anger (a common symptom in males with clinical depression). Some people have a genetic predisposition to depression. If a parent, grandparent or siblings has been diagnosed with a clinical depression then the person in question is more likely to be clinically depressed as well.

Take a Depression Test

There are numerous easy-to-take quizzes available on line and off that will help you evaluate your or your loved ones symptoms to help you determine if it is clinical depression. Following are a few: Depression-Help-Resource, Clinical Depression Screening Test and Depression Screening to Your Doctor

All depression should be taken seriously and treated. Do not hesitate to talk to your doctor about your symptoms. Take one of the free on line evaluation quizzes and then bring your results to the doctor. This will assist them in making a diagnosis.

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