[Nate7907]

How would you describe the different stages or levels of depression, and how are you able to define which level you are in?

The levels being mild, moderate, and severe. How do you describe these categories?

Thank you in advance for you help!

[DechanDawa]

This is a really great question and I hope others respond.

I don't know the technical answer, but judging from my own depression (which is now lifting) I would say it has to do with one's ability to function.

In the past, I have been mildly depressed, but it did not interfere too much with things like school, work, and socializing.

I think with moderate depression I begin to socially withdrawal from people and activities I normally enjoyed. I truly wish I had seen the danger signs when moderately depressed.

Severe depression took me out of life. It has taken me almost two years to fight my way back...and I am not yet fully back. I recently took a job...something that was impossible when I was severely depressed.

[Shazerac]

Originally Posted by DechanDawa

This is a really great question and I hope others respond.

I don't know the technical answer, but judging from my own depression (which is now lifting) I would say it has to do with one's ability to function.

In the past, I have been mildly depressed, but it did not interfere too much with things like school, work, and socializing.

I think with moderate depression I begin to socially withdrawal from people and activities I normally enjoyed. I truly wish I had seen the danger signs when moderately depressed.

Severe depression took me out of life. It has taken me almost two years to fight my way back...and I am not yet fully back. I recently took a job...something that was impossible when I was severely depressed.

What she said I have a spectrum of from being slightly down and disinterested to not being able to get out of bed except to use the bathroom.

[xRavenx]

This is a good question.

For me, mild depression starts where my pdoc/therapist notice my mood is very "flat." My thoughts slow down. I have difficulties getting motivated, begin to withdraw, and I'm not interested in activities the way I used to be. It's usually a very significant change, if it follows mania or hypomania.

Moderate depression: It gets very difficult to follow through with responsibilities or simple tasks at this stage. I'm in bed a lot and begin to feel hopeless. I feel clueless about what can possibly help me to feel better, because nothing seems to work. As opposed to severe depression, I still attempt to do things to cope, but not all of them are healthy ways. Nothing interests me, really. I am more irritable, can't focus, and feel completely isolated. I cry at least once per day. I seek relief, but can't really achieve it.

Severe depression: Very poor concentration, I'm often in tears, and there seems to be no point anymore. I'm desperate to escape, yet have no goals. This stage affects all areas of functioning, socially, emotionally, following through with tasks, occupationally (if I happen to work). I need time off, if I do work. I feel like a burden and have no energy. I don't connect with the outside world. I won't post any triggering symptoms here, but I basically meet criteria for IP at this stage.

[Nate7907]

Originally Posted by xRavenx

This is a good question.

For me, mild depression starts where my pdoc/therapist notice my mood is very "flat." My thoughts slow down. I have difficulties getting motivated, begin to withdraw, and I'm not interested in activities the way I used to be. It's usually a very significant change, if it follows mania or hypomania.

Moderate depression: It gets very difficult to follow through with responsibilities or simple tasks at this stage. I'm in bed a lot and begin to feel hopeless. I feel clueless about what can possibly help me to feel better, because nothing seems to work. As opposed to severe depression, I still attempt to do things to cope, but not all of them are healthy ways. Nothing interests me, really. I am more irritable, can't focus, and feel completely isolated. I cry at least once per day. I seek relief, but can't really achieve it.

Severe depression: Very poor concentration, I'm often in tears, and there seems to be no point anymore. I'm desperate to escape, yet have no goals. This stage affects all areas of functioning, socially, emotionally, following through with tasks, occupationally (if I happen to work). I need time off, if I do work. I feel like a burden and have no energy. I don't connect with the outside world. I won't post any triggering symptoms here, but I basically meet criteria for IP at this stage.

Thank you man this will really help me chart my moods!

[still_crazy]

Severe depression for me brings on a numbness, like my feelings just freeze over, plus paranoia and agitation. I also get some voices, but I know they're coming from my mind. Strange feeling, sort of like being haunted by your thoughts, problems, obsessions, etc.

The problem with this kind of depression is that it takes more than 1 drug (and more than 1 type of drug) to make life bearable. Atypical antipsychotic+antidepressant, minimum. I've had repeated bouts of this, so I also take a low dose of lamictal, plus Trileptal for agitation and swings into hypomania.

I will say that I think some psych drugs made my problems worse for a while, not better. The SSRI and SNRI drugs seemed to cause problems both on the pills and after discontintuation. I couldn't deal with the TCAs. I now take Wellbutrin. It doesn't really touch the "obsessive traits," but it does better with the concentration, food intake, etc. than the SSRI/SNRI drugs did, and I don't go to pieces if I forget a dose or two.

[Icare dixit]

Routine-based, gradual understimulation; reactive sudden, contrastive understimulation; anything-to-escape, severe migraine-like, hypersensitive, akathisia-like, hallucinogenic understimulation; mixed, can't-stop-thinking overstimulation.

[Icare dixit]

Extreme-exposure overstimulation (mildly psychotic); inadequacy-exposure overstimulation.

That's about it.

[Icare dixit]

Then there are of course the BPD depressions: the stomach-turning, lightning-bolt, reactive depression and the emptiness, high anxiety, under-/overstimulation one.

[mossanimal]

Originally Posted by xRavenx

This is a good question.

For me, mild depression starts where my pdoc/therapist notice my mood is very "flat." My thoughts slow down. I have difficulties getting motivated, begin to withdraw, and I'm not interested in activities the way I used to be. It's usually a very significant change, if it follows mania or hypomania.

Moderate depression: It gets very difficult to follow through with responsibilities or simple tasks at this stage. I'm in bed a lot and begin to feel hopeless. I feel clueless about what can possibly help me to feel better, because nothing seems to work. As opposed to severe depression, I still attempt to do things to cope, but not all of them are healthy ways. Nothing interests me, really. I am more irritable, can't focus, and feel completely isolated. I cry at least once per day. I seek relief, but can't really achieve it.

Severe depression: Very poor concentration, I'm often in tears, and there seems to be no point anymore. I'm desperate to escape, yet have no goals. This stage affects all areas of functioning, socially, emotionally, following through with tasks, occupationally (if I happen to work). I need time off, if I do work. I feel like a burden and have no energy. I don't connect with the outside world. I won't post any triggering symptoms here, but I basically meet criteria for IP at this stage.

I've been going through how you describe moderate and severe lately (again.. and I hate it). Where do suicidal thoughts fit in here? I feel like for a long time I go into mild/moderate depression without realizing it.. and just adjusting to a gradually changing 'me'. But then I start getting suicidal thoughts. Which is where I am now. I know that I won't... but I think about it a lot at this stage. Are suicidal thoughts always in the 'severe' range.. even if you are even somewhat functional??

[Icare dixit]

If I may answer this, for me: no. It's hopelessness. You can have it no matter the severity. Severe mixed or very severe depression makes me wanting it to end, like you want an extreme pain to end. If dying is what it takes, so be it. But I know it will end without me dying. If it's less severe, I might think it will never end. I may be more hopeless, but not desperate to die. It's just that it's best if I did.

[xRavenx]

Originally Posted by mossanimal

I've been going through how you describe moderate and severe lately (again.. and I hate it). Where do suicidal thoughts fit in here? I feel like for a long time I go into mild/moderate depression without realizing it.. and just adjusting to a gradually changing 'me'. But then I start getting suicidal thoughts. Which is where I am now. I know that I won't... but I think about it a lot at this stage. Are suicidal thoughts always in the 'severe' range.. even if you are even somewhat functional??

I don't know how to do a trigger icon so regarding what I am going to say.........

****Trigger Warning***

Although I suppose everyone has their own way of looking at the spectrum of severity, I think it would depend person to person.

Here's my own personal opinion: Some people have passive, fleeting suicidal thoughts that don't last long (no plan, no intent) and that's part of their baseline.... then that can still be part of moderate depression. Still, that is not to undermine the seriousness of those thoughts. It's a definite sign to monitor yourself closely (and have someone monitor you on a more frequent basis), keep in close contact with your pdoc, come up with a safety plan in therapy, and possibly get your meds adjusted. It's better to be safe than sorry.

When the suicidal thoughts become more frequent, intense, and longer lasting....then that's a serious sign of severe depression/mixed episode. That's a sign to get screened or voluntarily go IP.

[mossanimal]

Originally Posted by Icare dixit

If I may answer this, for me: no. It's hopelessness. You can have it no matter the severity. Severe mixed or very severe depression makes me wanting it to end, like you want an extreme pain to end. If dying is what it takes, so be it. But I know it will end without me dying. If it's less severe, I might think it will never end. I may be more hopeless, but not desperate to die. It's just that it's best if I did.

Interesting for me to think of it this way. Several years ago when I was in the midst of (what I now know was depression)... I was definitely 'hopeless'. I did think of ways in which I would end it by suicide.. but never had specific plans. But the interesting part were the fantasies I had at the time. I brought this up in another thread a while ago.. but the fantasies were about society breaking down in a way that would, well, a long story short.. give me 'hope' in a twisted way. Anyway.. I think you guys answered my question...

[mccarrolmike]

Sleep too much, lack of energy and lack of interest on the things I used to love, lethargy-cant get of bed, and try but can't seem to gather the energy.
Extreme sadness, living in the past.
Cant aquire motivation at all, my body weighs a ton.
Therefore, I don't have the strength to shower or even brush my teeth.
I say that my depression is worse than death itself.