Depression is more than just feeling a little down, sad, or hopeless for a few days. Depression is a serious condition that warrants assertive treatment. “Clinical Depression” is a condition that affects a person’s mood, body and thoughts. While experiencing feelings of sadness, hopelessness and worthlessness is a normal part of life, these feelings for most people last only a few days are not considered clinical depression. People who are depressed are usually not able to simply “get it together” in spite of their attempts to “will” themselves into feeling better. Without treatment, depression can continue for months, years or a lifetime.
Symptoms of depression include:
- A persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood
- Feelings of pessimism or hopelessness
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
- Loss of interest in hobbies or activities that have been previously enjoyed, including sex
- A decrease in energy, increased fatigue, or feeling “slowed down”
- Difficulty with memory, concentration, or making decisions
- A change in sleep patterns, either sleeping less or sleeping more
- A change in eating patterns resulting in either weight loss or weight gain
- Irritability or restlessness
- Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to medical treatment, including headaches, digestive disorders or chronic pain
Bipolar Disorder is a type of depression that has also been called manic-depressive illness. Bipolar disorder is characterized by cycling mood changes, moving from severe highs (mania) to severe lows (depression).
Depressive and bipolar disorders can be treated with medication, talk therapy and other methods. PRIDE Institute has been helping LGBT people with these disorders since 1986.
For More Information:
Complete the Depression Self-Assessment
Call PRIDE Institute Information & Admissions: 800-54-PRIDE
Self-Assessment
Depression is a condition that affects people’s mood and results in feelings of persistent sadness, guilt, and hopelessness. People with depression often experience both difficulties with concentration or memory and a loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities, including sex.
Do you wonder if you might be depressed? The following questions are provided to help determine whether or not you may be experiencing clinical depression.
Note: This self assessment is for information purposes only. It does not replace a formal evaluation by a medical or mental health professional. Some symptoms appearing to be associated to depression may actually be due to other causes.
- Have you recently experienced a depressed mood (feeling sad or empty) most of the day, nearly every day?
- Have you recently experienced a loss of interest or pleasure in your usual activities?
- Have you recently experienced a significant weight loss or weight gain when not dieting?
- Have you recently experienced insomnia or found that you sleep more than usual?
- Have you recently experienced restless behavior or markedly slowed behavior that has been noticed by other people?
- Have you recently experienced fatigue or a loss of energy nearly every day?
- Have you recently experienced feelings of worthlessness or excessive feelings of guilt nearly every day?
- Has your ability to think, concentrate, or make decisions become diminished nearly every day recently?
- Have you recently experienced recurrent thoughts of death or suicide?
If you have answered yes to question #9, or to five or more of the other questions, we recommend that you promptly consult a licensed medical or mental health professional. For information on the treatment of depression, please call the PRIDE Institute Information and Admissions department at 800-54-PRIDE.
How PRIDE Can Help
Depression is a serious condition whether or not it is accompanied by additional problems such as chemical dependency. It is common for people to “self-medicate” by abusing drugs or alcohol as a way of dealing with the overwhelming feelings of depression. By growing up and living in a society that can be heterosexist, many gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people live with stress, emotional wounds and unresolved concerns that can contribute to clinical depression.
PRIDE Institute can help you recover from depression and move your life forward again. You can be the person you were always meant to be. It all begins by picking up the phone and asking for help.
Call us at 800-54-PRIDE to speak with an Information and Admissions counselor.
Resources
The following links provide useful information on depression:*
- Information on Depression from the National Institute of Mental Health
- International Foundation for Research & Education on Depression
- American Psychiatric Association Fact Sheet on Depression (PDF Required)
- Entry: “Clinical Depression” from Wikipedia.org
Call 800-54-PRIDE for a free assessment and for further information.
*Information on these sites is deemed reliable but is outside the control of PRIDE Institute.
