Symptoms of depression range from mild to severe based on the individual and type of depression experienced. While some people feel unhappy or miserable without understanding why, others experience symptoms that are so severe that it is obvious that something is wrong. Severe depression symptoms can include insomnia, substance abuse, angry outbursts, and frequent thoughts of suicide, dying, or death.
The Effect of Severe Depression Symptoms
For people experiencing severe symptoms, depression may become paralyzing. Sufferers may have difficulty leaving the house or even getting out of bed, leading to isolation and loss of a supportive social network. Some sufferers have persistent thoughts that something bad will happen, leading them to become paranoid. In severe cases, an individual may develop delusions, hallucinations, or other psychotic symptoms.
Some people suffering from depression turn to drugs or alcohol for relief, leading to a substance abuse problem. Others experience thoughts of suicide that eventually cause them to attempt to take their lives. Though it may seem like there is no hope, even the most severe symptoms of depression are treatable. Sufferers should get medical attention immediately and discuss treatment options with a qualified professional.
Suicidal Thoughts: The Worst of the Severe Depression Symptoms
Suicide is a real threat for severely depressed individuals. In this country alone, approximately 30,000 people take their lives each year. The actual figure is estimated to be higher because some suicides are mistakenly classified as drug overdoses, shootings, or accidents. As many as 15 percent of people living with untreated depression will kill themselves, say experts.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline notes several warning signs of suicide including feeling isolated, withdrawing, and displaying extreme mood swings. People may talk about being a burden, feeling hopeless, lacking a reason to live, or wanting to die or kill themselves. Some of them search for ways to end their lives by searching online or in books. Unfortunately they are searching for a permanent solution to a depression that is usually quite temporary. Rarely does depression persist indefinitely, so there is always hope, especially with the may treatment approaches to depression nowadays.
Battling Severe Depression Symptoms
Many of the most severe symptoms of depression are impulsive so removing pills, weapons, and other items can create a window of opportunity to get the help that is needed. Telling a primary care doctor or therapist about feelings of severe depression or suicidal thoughts will get a patient on the road to recovery. Doctors use an array of treatments ranging from conventional therapy and medications to alternative treatments such as bright light therapy and brain stimulation.
Article content, © Kira Stein, MD, APC. | West Coast Life Center