Sometimes life gets rough. Job loss. Relationship problems. Problems with children. All of these things add up and can cause you to feel "down in the dumps" or "stressed out." This is normal and is certainly no fun, but it is a normal part of everyday life. This type of depression is called situational depression. It is caused by the situations that you find yourself in daily activity.

While situational depression is not the least bit fun, a more serious form of depression is clinical depression. Clinical depression can be described as depression that engulfs you. It takes over your life and you can’t function on a normal basis. Some of the signs of clinical depression are:

Sleeplessness - waking in the middle of the night or early morning hours.

Sleeping too much - not wanting to do anything but sleep - can’t seem to get enough sleep - sleep becomes an escape mechanism.

Feelings of worthlessness - having a bleak outlook -- believing that nothing will ever get better or improve.

Feelings of hopelessness

Uncontrollable negative thoughts - self-loathing.

Loss of appetite - a significant weight loss of more than 5 pounds in one month.

Overeating - gaining more than 5 pounds in one month.

Extreme irritability

Suicidal thoughts - thinking about how to end your life and making a plan about how to accomplish this.

Loss of energy

All of the above symptoms are signs of clinical depression and need to be taken seriously. Your first step to overcoming depression is to seek professional help. A trained medical professional can help you discover the causes of your depression and will prescribe medication or recommend therapy to help you on the road to recovery.

Some of the things your doctor may suggest are:

Lifestyle changes - exercise, nutrition, sleep, social support, stress reduction

Ruling out medical problems that cause depression

Therapy

Medication

If you suspect you are suffering from clinical depression and you need help, see your doctor immediately. Your doctor will work with you and help find the cause of your depression. Make sure you don’t try to "get over" clinical depression yourself. Clinical depression is serious and should be treated as such.