CONDITIONS

MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER

What is major depressive disorder?
While it’s normal to feel a bit down every once in a while, or when things are especially tough, major depression is more than just the blues. Major depressive disorder, also known as clinical depression, affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. If you feel sad most of the time, have a loss of interest or are feeling as if life isn't worth living, be sure to see a mental health professional as this condition can be treated and managed; and life is always worth living.

People with depression typically experience:

• Feelings of sadness and hopelessness
• Anxiety or restlessness
• Outbursts of anger or frustration
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities that used to bring joy
• Fixation on past failures or feelings of worthlessness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Sleep disturbances or insomnia
• Fatigue, lack of energy and tiredness
• Unexplained physical symptoms such as back pain or headaches
• Weight loss or weight gain
• Recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts

These symptoms are usually severe enough to cause noticeable problems in day-to-day activities, but may also be simple unhappiness without really knowing why. Many people with depression will have persistent symptoms or even have multiple episodes where symptoms are worse, which is why this mental illness should be taken so seriously.

Depression is not something you can simply ‘snap out’ of, and help can be found through a mental health professional. Since women are about twice as likely as men to develop major depression, Dr Sebothoma has enhanced empathy for her female patients and has a special interest in women's health & maternal mental health problems including postpartum depression (baby-blues) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PDD).