Clinical Depression

The word "depression" is often used as a global term referring to feelings of sadness, disappointment, grief, and fatigue. Everyone experiences all of these emotions to varying degrees, and they can provide important information about how we are reacting to what is happening around us. For example, it is normal to experience sadness if a close friend moves away or disappointment because you received a low grade on a test for which you had diligently prepared.

But when someone experiences these feelings most days for several weeks, these depressive feelings become much more problematic. When