What You Should Know About Moderate Depression
Depression is a tricky concept. In a non-clinical sense, everyone is depressed from time to time. It’s normal, it’s inevitable, and it can be an excellent learning tool. That said, feeling sad is vastly different from having a Major Depressive Disorder, a.k.a. depression. Depression, in a clinical sense, is a diagnosable mental health condition that can be mild, moderate, or severe.
Research shows that about half of all depression sufferers had moderate symptoms. The other 50 percent of people are close to evenly split between mild and severe. “Moderate depression” is not technically a diagnosis but such a designation is critical when it comes to treatment.
Moderate Depression Symptoms
All forms of depression share many symptoms that vary in intensity and frequency. Someone with moderate depression, however, always displays the following two signs:
Loss of interest in activities that once excited them (including sex)
Persistent low mood
General symptoms of depression may include:
Withdrawal and isolation
Inability to focus, concentrate and make decisions
Irritability
Decreased productivity
Appetite changes (eating more or less)
Sleep disturbances
Relentless fatigue
Feelings of guilt, despair, and hopelessness
Decrease in self-esteem
Lack of motivation
People with severe depression may also struggle with ongoing thoughts about death, dying, and suicide.
What Causes Moderate Depression?
Like all forms of depression, there is no concrete cause and it’s most often chalked up to a combination of factors, e.g.
Family history of depression or other mental illnesses
Genetics
Having undergone many conflicts, strife, poverty, and other obstacles
Having another physical or mental health condition
Certain medications
What’s crucial to remember is that there’s no diagnostic test for depression? It does not show up in your blood work or on an x-ray. The diagnosis of moderate depression is based on the clinical judgment of a medical professional. This is why it is so important that you take steps to learn more about what you are feeling.
Self-Help For Moderate Depression
The Basics: Get enough sleep, make healthy eating choices, stay hydrated, do some kind of physical activity or exercise each day, and learn some simple relaxation techniques. Turn this into a daily regimen.
Mindset: Moderate depression will try to overwhelm you with negative thought patterns. You can train yourself to question and challenge these messages. When depression tells you that you’re stuck and can’t get out, ask it how it knows this to be true. Demand evidence.
Add Joy to Your Schedule: Don’t leave this to chance. Make time — every single day — to do things that inspire smiles, laughter, and joy. Laughter increases the number of happy hormones your body produces. So, be sure to socialize, watch funny video clips, play with a pet, etc.
Routines: Moderate depression will try to knock you off your game. To counter this, create and stick to routines. For example, each day, be sure to get dressed, get outside, contact a friend, listen to music, or write in your journal.
Random Acts of Kindness: This one is self-care, it challenges negative thinking, and it creates a joyful routine. Help others as often as possible. Everyone will benefit from the process.
The Value of Talk Therapy
Talk therapy is a powerful way to learn about depression
It can support you in managing your symptoms
Your sessions are where you develop the skills you need to handle moderate depression
You identify specific life events and experiences that may be contributing to how you feel
In addition, you learn how to recognize counterproductive patterns and behaviors
Working together, you practice methods for changing those negative behaviors
You set short- and long-term goals and monitor progress
If you believe you could benefit from depression therapy, let’s connect and talk very soon.
