The weight of depression can make even the easiest of tasks feel impossible, draining the meaning from activities that once brought you great joy. Plus, MDD affects over 20 million American adults each year, making it one of the most common mental health conditions.1
Yet, despite this prevalence, the condition is often misunderstood, sometimes dismissed as a potential weakness or something you simply need to “get over.” However, learning more about the difference between normal sadness and clinical depression can help people access much-needed treatment.
Depression is treatable, so if you suspect that you or someone you love has it, a mental health professional can talk to you about your options. This page can also help you better understand the major depressive disorder adults can experience by exploring:
The definition and major symptoms of major depressive disorder in adults
Clinical depression isn’t a character flaw, nor is it a sign of personal weakness. You can’t overcome it through the power of positive thinking. It involves real changes in functioning and potential neurotransmitter imbalances, leading to several symptoms that define the disorder.
A clinical depression diagnosis requires symptoms lasting for at least two weeks and causing major distress or alteration in your functioning. It must be a change from your previous functioning and cannot be better explained by something such as bereavement.1 The next section explores the diagnostic criteria in more detail.
Depressed mood most of the day, every day: Feeling sad, empty, hopeless, or tearful almost every day.
A major depressive episode is a period of time that meets the symptom criteria described above. It involves at least two weeks of depressed mood or loss of interest, plus additional symptoms causing you impairment.3
In other words, an episode represents a period of time with a clear beginning and (hopefully) end.
Major depressive disorder, meanwhile, is diagnosed when you experience one or more major depressive episodes without a history of manic or hypomanic episodes (which would indicate bipolar disorder instead).
This difference can matter for treatment planning. A single major depressive episode might resolve with more short-term interventions, while recurrent MDD can often require long-term or lifelong treatment to prevent relapse.
Chronic depression management for people who experience multiple episodes focuses on treating both their acute symptoms and preventing future episodes with ongoing therapy and medication management.
We accept most major insurance providers and can check your coverage levels for you.
If we are not an appropriate provider for care, we will assist in finding a care provider that can help.
Mood disorder treatment can look quite different depending on what specific condition you’re experiencing. While MDD is the most common depressive-based disorder, many other conditions can also involve depressive symptoms that have different prognoses and courses of treatment. We discuss some of these other conditions in the following sections.
In other words, MDD involves distinct episodes with clear beginnings and ends, whereas persistent depressive disorder becomes your baseline over time. However, some people are diagnosed with both PDD and depressive episodes.
If your depressive symptoms only occur around your period and resolve once menstruation begins, PMDD might help to explain the pattern. However, some people have both conditions, which can make navigating depressive symptoms more challenging.
The seasonal patterns distinguish SAD from MDD, though both involve the primary symptoms of clinical depression.
An adjustment disorder can also involve emotional or behavioral symptoms in response to identifiable challenges such as job loss, divorce, serious illness, or other major life changes. These symptoms typically don’t meet the level of a major depressive episode.
Additionally, normal grief following the death of a loved one can involve symptoms that resemble depression. However, grief is a normal part of the loss process, typically becoming better on its own over time and occurring in waves as you adjust.
Complex grief can persist for beyond a year after the loss, which indicates its own treatment considerations.7
Health insurance companies generally provide insurance coverage for major depressive disorder treatment programs. Your health policy can include coverage for some, if not most, of the costs associated with MDD treatment. This can include inpatient and outpatient treatment, based on the severity of your symptoms.
Health insurance policies may have limitations or exclusions regarding your use of out-of-network medical treatment centers. Your plan may also be subject to out-of-pocket expenses in the form of copayments, deductibles, and premiums. Complete the AMFM insurance verification form to learn about the details of your coverage.
Chronic depression management often requires sustained treatment rather than brief interventions, with care coordinated across providers and different levels of care depending on symptom severity and your life circumstances. The following information discusses the different levels of care involved in treatment.
Depression therapy options in outpatient settings include individual therapy with licensed mental health providers, using evidence-based approaches like cognitive-behavioral therapy and psychodynamic therapy to address thought patterns and functioning issues.
Psychiatric medication management can also occur via appointments with prescribers to assess the benefits of antidepressant medications.
Many people benefit from combined treatment; therapy addressing psychological and behavioral aspects of depression, alongside medication for correcting neurochemical imbalances. Research has shown that combined treatment typically provides the best outcomes.
When weekly therapy isn’t enough for your needs but you don’t require 24/7 care, IOP and PHP programs can provide a useful middle ground.
Intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) involve multiple therapy sessions weekly, including group therapy and skills training alongside individual therapy and prescriber appointments, while you continue living at home.
Partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) offer full-day treatment services several days a week, with evenings spent at home.
The added daily structure to these programs can provide you with more intensive interventions while also allowing you to maintain your independence and daily connections.
Inpatient depression programs provide you with the highest level of care for situations that exceed what outpatient care can safely manage.
Psychiatric residential care may be beneficial if you’re finding functioning in nearly every domain of daily life a challenge. It may also be necessary if there are any concerns around self-harm or thoughts of suicide.
Long-term treatment for depression in a residential setting can also be beneficial for chronic or treatment-resistant depression that hasn’t responded well to other therapy attempts.
Depression crisis stabilization can be more effective when you’re removed from chaotic or unstable home situations and away from any potential triggers. It gives you a safe place to work on building new skills and stability needed to return to regular life with better coping mechanisms and effective medication plans.
A Mission For Michael (AMFM) provides treatment for adults experiencing various conditions. Depression support is a phone call away – call 866-478-4383 to learn about our current treatment options.
See our residences in Southern California’s Orange County & San Diego County.
Take a look at our homes on the east side of the Metro area in Washington County.
View our facilities in Fairfax County, VA within the DC metro area.
Depression might have convinced you that nothing can help, that you’ve tried everything, and this is just how life is going to be.
A Mission For Michael helps adults with severe, chronic, or treatment-resistant depression find the support they need to recover, combining evidence-based care and psychiatric expertise in a welcoming environment.
We treat depression alongside several other mental health conditions, and always with compassion and care. Let us show you how we can help – contact us today to get started.
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If you have any remaining concerns or questions about the major depressive disorder adults can experience, the following responses to FAQs may help.
Your depression might be severe enough to warrant residential care if you’re struggling with suicidal thoughts (or actively planning to harm yourself). Other indicators can include psychotic features, an inability to function in day-to-day life, or not seeing the results you need from other treatment episodes.
AMFM can help you decide what level of care is best with a full assessment of your needs and circumstances, along with assistance in understanding your insurance benefits.
Inpatient depression programs allow you to attend individual and group therapy sessions and participate in therapeutic activities. Days typically follow structured schedules, along with allowing you downtime to reflect.
The length of your stay can vary, and most programs help you to step down your care to a lower level. This way, you can be assisted in consolidating your gains and continue receiving supportive services in the long term.
