Clinical depression is more than feeling unhappy or fed up for a few days.
Most people go through periods of feeling low or down. When you have clinical depression you feel sad for weeks or months, not just a few days.
Clinical depression can be a serious mental health difficulty. It is not a sign of weakness. It is not something you can 'snap out of' by 'pulling yourself together'.
With the right treatment and support, most people with clinical depression can make a full recovery.
How to tell if you have clinical depression
Clinical depression affects people in different ways.
The symptoms of clinical depression can vary from person to person.
Generally, if you have clinical depression:
- you feel sad, hopeless and lose interest in things you used to enjoy
- you have these symptoms for at least 2 weeks
- the symptoms are serious enough to interfere with work, social life or family
There are many other symptoms of clinical depression and you're unlikely to have them all.
Psychological symptoms
You may have clinicial depression if you:
- have ongoing low mood or sadness
- feel hopeless
- have low self-esteem
- feel tearful
- feel worthless or guilty
- feel irritated by other people
- have no motivation or interest in things
- find it difficult to make decisions
- do not get any enjoyment out of life
- feel anxious or worried
- have suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming yourself
Urgent advice: Phone 112 or 999 if:
- you or someone you know is about to harm themselves or someone else
Physical symptoms
The physical symptoms of clinical depression include:
- moving or speaking slower than usual
- changes in appetite or weight (usually decreased, but sometimes increased)
- constipation
- unexplained aches and pains
- lack of energy
- low sex drive (loss of libido)
- changes to your menstrual cycle
- disturbed sleep - difficulty falling asleep, waking up early or sleeping more than usual
Social symptoms
If you have clinical depression you may:
- not do well at work
- avoid contact with friends
- take part in fewer social activities
- lose interest in hobbies and interests
- have difficulties in your home and family life
Severity of clinical depression
Clinical depression often develops gradually. This means it can be difficult to notice when something is wrong. You might try to cope with the symptoms without realising you're unwell. It can sometimes take a friend or family member to notice something is wrong.
The type of clinical depression you have depends on how much impact it has on your daily life, for example:
- mild clinical depression - has some impact
- moderate clinical depression - has a significant impact
- severe clinical depression - means it is almost impossible to get through daily life
You can have clinical depression and other mental health difficulties. For example, anxiety or psychosis.
Grief and depression
It can be difficult to know the difference between grief and clinical depression. Both are similar, but there are differences.
Grief is a natural response to a loss. Clinical depression is an ongoing mental health difficulty.
When you are grieving, you find feelings of sadness and loss come and go. But you are still able to enjoy things and look forward to the future.
If you have clinical depression, you always feel sad. You don't enjoy anything and find it difficult to be positive about the future.
Coping with grief after bereavement or loss
Other types of depression
There are different types of depression. Some mental health difficulties may also include depression as a symptom.
Postnatal depression
Some women develop depression during pregnancy or in the first year after having a baby. This is postnatal depression. Treatment can include talking therapies and antidepressant medicines.
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder is also called manic depression. In bipolar disorder there are spells of both depression and high mood (mania). If you have bipolar disorder, you will move between depression and mania.
The depression symptoms are like clinical depression.
Mania can include harmful behaviour, such as:
- gambling
- going on spending sprees
- having unsafe sex
Seasonal affective disorder
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is also called 'winter depression'. SAD is a type of depression that happens in winter.
Persistent depressive disorder
Persistent depressive disorder is a long-term type of depression.
Symptoms include:
- low self-esteem
- feeling sad and empty
- difficulty getting things done
- losing interest in daily activities
These feelings can last for years and affect your relationships, school, work and daily activities.
When to get help
Non-urgent advice: Contact your GP if:
- you have symptoms of depression for most of the day, every day, for more than 2 weeks
A low mood may improve after a short time.
Content supplied by the NHS and adapted for Ireland by the HSE