Introduction
Most everyone gets a case of the blues from time to time; it’s all part of being human. But if you feel sad, anxious or empty, or experience feelings of hopelessness, guilt, or worthlessness that don’t go away for weeks at a stretch, you may be depressed. Clearly, depression has a variety of symptoms, yet the most prevalent is a feeling of deep sadness. Depression is a serious medical illness, not something you’ve made up in your head.
And if you are depressed, you are far from alone. In any given one-year period, 9.5 percent of the population, or about 18.8 million Americans suffer from some form of depression. Unfortunately, most people with a depressive illness do not seek treatment. Many are unaware that they can be successfully treated with a combination of therapies. Others may be ashamed or worry about the reaction of family, friends and co-workers.
Just as there are different forms of an illness like heart disease, so too are there are different types of depression. And even within these types, people experience a range of symptoms that can vary in severity and persistence.
Major depression, for example, involves a combination of symptoms that interfere with your ability to carry on with normal living. It’s hard to stay focused at work or school; you may not be able to sleep, your appetite may dwindle or increase, and you may no longer enjoy things that used to be pleasurable.
A milder type of depression called dysthymia involves long-term symptoms that don’t disable you, but subtly keep you from feeling well.
Bipolar disorder, also called manic-depressive illness, is yet another type of depression. Not nearly as prevalent as other types, bipolar is characterized by dramatic mood swings – severe highs and lows.
Some people become depressed because of deficiencies in brain chemicals. Others with low self-esteem who can easily become overwhelmed by stress or who tend to be pessimistic seem to be more vulnerable than others to depression. Likewise, depression tends to run in families.
- The majority of people with a depressive illness do NOT seek treatment, although most, even those who are severely depressed, can be helped.
- Women express depression about twice as often as men. In many cases, hormonal changes are to blame, particularly tied in with a woman’s menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause.
- Although men are less likely to suffer depression than women, 3 to 4 million men in the U.S. are impacted. Often, men’s depression is masked by alcohol or drugs or by working excessively.
- Depression is not a normal part of aging, though most people assume so. Older people, however, are often reluctant to discuss their feelings of sadness, hopelessness or loss of interest in normally pleasurable activities.
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