Depression
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Where to go for help:
National Alliance for the 
Mentally Ill (NAMI)  

National Depressive and
Manic-Depressive Association  

National Foundation For 
Depressive Illness, Inc.  

National Institute of 
Mental Health  

National Institute of  
Neurological  Disorders  

 
 
Did you know?
  • The National Institute of Mental Health states that more than 17 million Americans develop a depressive disorder each year.
  • One out of every five adults experiences depression at some point in their lives.
  • Twice as many women as men suffer from depression, although everybody, even children, can develop the illness.
  • Crying really can make you feel better. Tears contain endorphins - a chemical released by the brain that causes an elevated mood.
  • If you're depressed you are three times more likely to develop hypertension.
  • It's not just "the blues" -- depression is an illness caused by a disruption of chemicals in the brain.
  • Any unwelcome change in life patterns can trigger a depressive episode.
  • Most people with a depressive illness do not seek treatment.
  • Effective treatment for depression is available -- even for those with the severest disorders.
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    What Causes Depression? 

    ?Genetic: Major depression also seems to occur, generation after generation, in some families. However, it can also occur in people who have no family history of depression. Whether  inherited or not, major depressive disorder is often associated with having too little or too much of certain chemicals in the brain.   

    ?Psychological:  Psychological makeup also plays a role in vulnerability to depression. People who have low self-esteem, who consistently view themselves and the world with pessimism, or who are  readily overwhelmed by stress are prone to depression.   

    Very often, a combination of  genetic, psychological, and environmental factors is involved in triggering a depressive disorder. 
     

    More Interesting Facts About Depression

    A depressive disorder is not the same as a feeling downhearted and sad.   All of us feel this way sometimes, but in a few days, perhaps after talking to a good friend, we start to feel ourselves again.  

    A depressive disorder is a "whole body" illness, involving one's body, mood, and thoughts. It affects the way an  individual eats and sleeps, thinks about things, and feels about himself or herself. 

    Depressive illnesses often cause pain and suffering not only for those who have a disorder, but also those who care about  them. Serious depression can destroy the lives of both the ill person and that person's family. The most serious consequence of clinical depression is suicide. 

    Possibly the saddest fact about depression is that much of this suffering is unnecessary. Less than half of the people suffering  from depression seek treatment for it, although the great  majority -- even those with the severest disorders -- can be helped. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks,  months, or years.  
     

    		 Types of Depression 

    Clinical depression is an illness, and it requires specific treatment. It is not a sign of personal weakness. It persists, and it doesn't go away no matter how hard the individual wants it to. People with a depressive illness cannot merely "pull themselves together" and get better.  Depressive disorders come in different forms. Within each type there are variations in symptoms, severity, and persistence.  

      Major depression is marked by a combination of symptoms that interfere with the ability to work, sleep, eat, and enjoy activities that were once pleasurable. These disabling episodes of depression can occur once, twice, or several times in a lifetime. 
      Dysthymia , a less severe type of depression, involves long-term, chronic symptoms that do not disable, but do keep a person from functioning at "full steam" or from feeling good Sometimes people with dysthymia also experience major depressive episodes. 
      Bipolar disorder, ( formerly manic-depressive illness) involves cycles of depression and elation (mania). More information is available in the section entitled Bipolar disorders.

    More information on Depression
     
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