Information presented in this article may be triggering for some people.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor.
If you or a loved one is in immediate danger, call 911.
Jamie Larsen / EyeEm / Getty Images
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Instead, it refers to more debilitating depression.
It also explores some of the treatments that may be used to help relieve severe depression.
Around 20% of people with the condition experience mild depression.
Moderate depression often involves having more symptoms that are more significant in terms of severity and duration.
Severe Depression
Generally speaking, severe depression requires some throw in of treatment to find some relief.
Symptoms of Severe Depression
There is no set definition of severe depression.
When determining if depression is severe, there are some key signs and symptoms clinicians consider.
Melancholia is depression that rises to the level of losing interest in most everything in your life.
Physical Effects of Depression
Depression can appear physically via symptoms felt in the body.
These criteria can be changed and are periodically updated when new research findings become available.
Types of Diagnostic Tools
Researchers have been using such scales since the 1960s.
One of the first, theHamilton Depression Rating Scale, is still sometimes used today.
However, there are many more scales available that are better suited for doctors to use with patients.
There are even scales patients can use on their own to track or self-report depression symptoms.
While scales can offer key insights, they tend to be quite different from one another.
ThePHQ, for example, isavailable for free onlineand in over 30 languages.
It can be downloaded as a PDF or accessed as an interactive quiz on several reputable mental health websites.
Treatment for Severe Depression
Fortunately, there are a number of treatment options for severe depression.
Your doctor can help decide the best one for you based on your symptoms.
It may also be helpful to ask local therapists if they specialize in severe depression.
Medication
Medication is frequently prescribed to treat severe depression.
The most common pop in of medication used isselective serotonin reuptake inhibitors(SSRIs).
This includes antidepressants such asProzac(fluoxetine),Zoloft(sertraline), andPaxil(paroxetine).
Beinghospitalized for depressiondoesn’t mean that you’re weak.
It simply means that your treatment may be more effective in a more controlled environment.
It allows them to make any necessary changes should your depression not initially respond or become worse.
Your doctor may recommend one or more to aid in your recovery.
It can take time to find the method that works best for you.
These include:
Such lifestyle changes can improve your mood and overall health and well-being.
People who are severely depressed may be at an increased risk of suicide.
Some people have symptoms that get better with time and dont disrupt their day-to-day lives.
Others have symptoms that respond well to treatment, such as antidepressants and psychotherapy.
National Institute of Mental Health.Depression.
- doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
NHS Choices.Psychotic depression.
Updated December 10, 2019.
National Institute of Mental Health.Suicide warning signs.
Parker G, Fink M, Shorter E, et al.Issues for DSM-5: Whither melancholia?
The case for its classification as a distinct mood disorder.Am J Psychiatry.
2017;59(Suppl 1):S34-S50.
doi:10.4103/0019-5545.196973
National Alliance on Mental Illness.Depression.
Cleveland Clinic.Alternative therapies for depression.
2011;128(1-2):175-177. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2010.07.011
Zimmerman M.Medscape education psychiatry & mental health.
Tools for depression: standardized rating scales.
Published September 21, 2011.
