What Does The Word Depression Mean

Depression Is Different From Sadness Or Grief/bereavement

The death of a loved one, loss of a job or the ending of a relationship are difficult experiences for a person to endure. It is normal for feelings of sadness or grief to develop in response to such situations. Those experiencing loss often might describe themselves as being depressed.

But being sad is not the same as having depression. The grieving process is natural and unique to each individual and shares some of the same features of depression. Both grief and depression may involve intense sadness and withdrawal from usual activities. They are also different in important ways:

• In grief, painful feelings come in waves, often intermixed with positive memories of the deceased. In major depression, mood and/or interest are decreased for most of two weeks.
• In grief, self-esteem is usually maintained. In major depression, feelings of worthlessness and self-loathing are common.
• In grief, thoughts of death may surface when thinking of or fantasizing about joining the deceased loved one. In major depression, thoughts are focused on ending ones life due to feeling worthless or undeserving of living or being unable to cope with the pain of depression.

Grief and depression can co-exist For some people, the death of a loved one, losing a job or being a victim of a physical assault or a major disaster can lead to depression. When grief and depression co-occur, the grief is more severe and lasts longer than grief without depression.

Examples Of Depression In A Sentence

depressiondepressiondepressiondepressionsdepression STATdepression aldepressionOrlando SentineldepressionAlluredepression Fortunedepression CBS NewsdepressionMen’s HealthdepressionWIRED

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word ‘depression.’ Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Risk Factors For Depression

Depression can affect anyoneeven a person who appears to live in relatively ideal circumstances.

Several factors can play a role in depression:

• Biochemistry: Differences in certain chemicals in the brain may contribute to symptoms of depression.
• Genetics: Depression can run in families. For example, if one identical twin has depression, the other has a 70 percent chance of having the illness sometime in life.
• Personality: People with low self-esteem, who are easily overwhelmed by stress, or who are generally pessimistic appear to be more likely to experience depression.
• Environmental factors: Continuous exposure to violence, neglect, abuse or poverty may make some people more vulnerable to depression.

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Which Is The Best Definition Of The Word Depression

Depression: definition Depression is a common mental disorder, characterized by sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, feelings of tiredness and poor concentration.

What does it mean to have major depressive disorder?

Overview Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems.

What are some of the symptoms of depression?

Depression is a common mental disorder, characterized by sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, feelings of tiredness and poor concentration. It can be long lasting or recurrent, substantially impairing a persons ability to function at work or school, or cope with daily life.

Characteristics And Causes Of Depression

Depression is probably the most common psychiatric complaint and has been described by physicians since before the time of ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, who called it melancholia. The course of the disorder is extremely variable from person to person it may be mild or severe, acute or chronic. Untreated, depression may last an average of four months or longer. Depression is twice as prevalent in women than in men. The typical age of onset is in the 20s, but it may occur at any age.

Depression can have many causes. Unfavourable life events can increase a persons vulnerability to depression or trigger a depressive episode. Negative thoughts about oneself and the world are also important in producing and maintaining depressive symptoms. However, both psychosocial and biochemical mechanisms seem to be important causes the chief biochemical cause appears to be the defective regulation of the release of one or more naturally occurring neurotransmitters in the brain, particularly norepinephrine and serotonin. Reduced quantities or reduced activity of these chemicals in the brain is thought to cause the depressed mood in some sufferers.

Research suggests that depression is also linked to physical activity, whereby physical activity may lower a persons risk of developing depression. Individuals who exercise typically report better mental health and are less likely to be depressed, compared with individuals who do not exercise.

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Samuel Johnson’s Dictionaryrate This Definition:

Personal Factors That Can Lead To Depression

Personal factors that can lead to a risk of depression include:

• family history depression can run in families and some people will be at an increased genetic risk. However, this doesnt mean that a person will automatically experience depression if a parent or close relative has had the condition.
• personality some people may be more at risk because of their personality, particularly if they tend to worry a lot, have low self-esteem, are perfectionists, are sensitive to personal criticism, or are self-critical and negative
• serious medical conditions these can trigger depression in two ways. Serious conditions can bring about depression directly or can contribute to depression through the associated stress and worry, especially if it involves long-term management of a condition or chronic pain
• drug and alcohol use can both lead to and result from depression. Many people with depression also have drug and alcohol problems.

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How Is Depression Treated

Depression is among the most treatable of mental disorders. Between 80% and 90% percent of people with depression eventually respond well to treatment. Almost all patients gain some relief from their symptoms.

Before a diagnosis or treatment, a health professional should conduct a thorough diagnostic evaluation, including an interview and a physical examination. In some cases, a blood test might be done to make sure the depression is not due to a medical condition like a thyroid problem or a vitamin deficiency . The evaluation will identify specific symptoms and explore medical and family histories as well as cultural and environmental factors with the goal of arriving at a diagnosis and planning a course of action.

From The Century Dictionary

• noun The difference between the low barometric pressure and the normal pressure for that locality the departure of the pressure.
• noun The act of pressing down, or the state of being pressed down. Specifically
• noun In astronomy:
• noun In gunnery, the lowering of the muzzle of a gun, corresponding to the raising of the breech.
• noun In surgery, a kind of couching.
• noun In music, the lowering or flatting of a tone: denoted in printed music by a , or, after a , by a .
• noun A hollow a sinking or falling in of a surface a forcing inward: as, roughness consisting in little protuberances and depressions the depression of the skull.
• noun Figuratively, the act of lowering or abasing: as, the depression of pride.
• noun A sinking of the spirits dejection a state of sadness want of courage or animation: as, depression of the mind.
• noun A low state of strength physical exhaustion.
• noun A state of dullness or inactivity: as, depression of trade commercial depression.
• noun Humiliation, fall.

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What Does It Mean When Someone Is Venting

When you vent, you let something out, whether its hot air or your feelings. If you vent your feelings, you let out a strong and sometimes angry emotion and just say what you think. You might vent your rage when your brother once again gets out of doing his chores. You also might vent something to air it out.

Examples Of Depress In A Sentence

depressdepressdepresseddepressdepressdepressdepressingdepressDepressdepressdepress Better Homes & Gardensdepress New York Timesdepress WSJdepress Fortunedepress Quartzdepress CNNdepress Quartzdepress WSJ

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word ‘depress.’ Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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The Symptoms Of Depression

Take a look at the below list of possible symptoms of depression. Some people will have several of these, while others may only have one or two.

• A decrease in energy or an increase in fatigue
• Physical symptoms like sudden weight gain or weight loss
• Suicidal thoughts or thoughts of death
• Having trouble concentrating o remembering things
• Having to move or talk more slowly
• Having difficulty sleeping, waking up, or oversleeping
• A loss of interest or joy in hobbies and activities
• Experiencing feelings of irritability, hopelessness, guilt, pessimism, low self-esteem, worthlessness, restlessness, or helplessness
• Sudden aches, pains, cramps, headaches, or digestive problems that are untreatable and have no cause
• A consistent anxious, sad, numb, or empty mood

Suicide prevention is extremely important. If you, a family member, or a loved one is having suicidal thoughts, contact a mental health professional or suicide hotline.

Does Depression Change Your Personality

Research has turned up mixed results about whether or not depression can actually change a persons personality.

However, according to of 10 studies, depressive symptoms may be associated with changes in several specific aspects of personality including extraversion, neuroticism, and agreeableness which could be temporary or persistent.

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What Do You Mean By Maria

What Does Maria Mean? Maria is a historically feminine name of Latin origin. It can be translated to either mean of the sea, bitter, beloved, or rebellious. In some cultures, its also considered to be a variation for the name Mary. Maria is also a feminine variation for the Roman name Marius.

How Do We Define Depression

Gilbert defines depression across four different aspects of functioning:

Psychotherapy and Counselling for Depression 3rd Edition. London: Sage)

Like anxiety, there are different types of depression diagnostically, but all are associated with similar presenting experiences, like those highlighted in the above diagram.

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The Causes Of Depression

Some people might go through a depressive episode due to life events like the loss of a family member, friend, loved one, or pet. Some people become lonely and isolated, which can lead to depression. Other people might become depressed due to work or unemployment.

However, this persistent depressive disorder may have no definable cause and simply be due to an imbalance of serotonin. In these cases, making changes in ones life may not help with depression, and further treatment or medication may be necessary.

When Does Low Mood Become Depression

We all have times when our mood is low, and we’re feeling sad or miserable about life. Usually these feelings pass in due course.

But if the feelings are interfering with your life and don’t go away after a couple of weeks, or if they come back over and over again for a few days at a time, it could be a sign that you’re experiencing depression. See our page on the symptoms of depression for more information.

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From The American Heritage Dictionary Of The English Language 5th Edition

• noun The act of depressing.
• noun The condition of being depressed.
• noun An area that is sunk below its surroundings a hollow.
• noun The condition of feeling sad or despondent.
• noun A mood disorder characterized usually by anhedonia, extreme sadness, poor concentration, sleep problems, loss of appetite, and feelings of guilt, helplessness, and hopelessness.
• noun A lowering or reduction, as.
• noun A reduction in physiological vigor or activity.
• noun A lowering in amount, degree, or position.
• noun A period of drastic economic decline, characterized by decreasing aggregate output, falling prices, and rising unemployment.
• noun A period of widespread poverty and high unemployment.
• nounMeteorology A region of low barometric pressure.
• noun The angular distance below the horizontal plane through the point of observation.
• nounAstronomy The angular distance of a celestial body below the horizon.

From The Gnu Version Of The Collaborative International Dictionary Of English

• noun The act of depressing.
• noun The state of being depressed a sinking.
• noun A falling in of the surface a sinking below its true place a cavity or hollow.
• noun Humiliation abasement, as of pride.
• noun Dejection despondency lowness.
• noun Diminution, as of trade, etc. inactivity dullness.
• noun The angular distance of a celestial object below the horizon.
• noun The operation of reducing to a lower degree — said of equations.
• noun A method of operating for cataract couching. See Couch , v. t., 8.
• noun one which a descending line makes with a horizontal plane.
• noun the number of degrees that the dew-point is lower than the actual temperature of the atmosphere.
• noun its apparent sinking, as the spectator goes toward the equator.
• noun Same as Dip of the horizon, under Dip

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Seek Support For Symptoms Of Depression

Depression is often not recognised and can go on for months or even years if left untreated. Its important to seek support as early as possible, as the sooner a person gets treatment, the sooner they can recover.

Untreated depression can have many negative effects on a persons life, including serious relationship and family problems, difficulty finding and holding down a job, and drug and alcohol problems.

There is no one proven way that people recover from depression. However, there is a range of effective treatments and health professionals who can help people on the road to recovery.

There are also many things that people with depression can do for themselves to help them recover and stay well. The important thing is to find the right treatment and the right health professional for a persons needs.

Princeton’s Wordnetrate This Definition:

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Life Events And Depression

Research suggests that continuing difficulties, such as long-term unemployment, living in an abusive or uncaring relationship, long-term isolation or loneliness or prolonged exposure to stress at work can increase the risk of depression.

Significant adverse life events, such as losing a job, going through a separation or divorce, or being diagnosed with a serious illness, may also trigger depression, particularly among people who are already at risk because of genetic, developmental or other personal factors.

Webster Dictionaryrate This Definition:

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What Does Depression Mean

According to the NIH and the American Psychiatric Association, depression is a type of mental illness. Biologically, depression is when you have low amounts of the neurotransmitter serotonin in your brain. Depression is listed as one of many mental illnesses in the DSM-5.

Depression could also be a symptom of other medical conditions and mental disorders like PMS, PMDD , bipolar disorder, postpartum depression , or seasonal affective disorder.

Clinical depression is prevalent in adolescents and older adults. Types of depression range from mild depression to severe depression or major depression.

Depression is able to manifest itself in many different ways, and depression can look different to everyone. Never assume that someone is doing fine, and make sure to check on your friends and family.