What is depression?
Depression is more than just feeling “blue” or “down in the dumps” for a few days. It’s a serious illness that involves the brain. With depression, sad, anxious, or “empty” feelings don’t go away and interfere with day-to-day life and routines. These feelings can be mild to severe. The good news is that most people with depression get better with treatment.
Depression is a very common problem – affecting about one in six people at some point in their lifetime. It can be described as a persistent low mood which can make people feel unable to cope and hopeless about the future. People who are depressed often lose their appetite and have difficulty sleeping, feel guilty or worthless, become anxious and tired, and find it difficult to concentrate. They may also have thoughts about death or suicide.
When doctors talk about depression, they mean the medical illness called major depression. Someone with major depression has symptoms like those listed in the box below nearly every day, all day, for 2 weeks or longer. If you’re depressed, you may also have headaches, other aches and pains, digestive problems and problems with sex. An older person with depression may feel confused or have trouble understanding simple requests.
Depression is medical condition that affects people of all genders, races, ages, and income levels. People who are depressed feel more than sadness or “the blues.” They feel hopeless and suffer deep emotional pain for prolonged periods. Depression can cause dysfunction in every aspect of one’s life. Nearly one in five Americans will experience depression sometime in their lifetime, and more than 19 million Americans suffer from a depressive disorder each year.
Depression is a treatable, medical illness marked by changes in mood, thought and behavior. That’s why it’s called a mood disorder. Everyone, at various times in life, feels sad or blue. And it’s normal to feel sad on occasion. But what’s the difference between “normal” feelings of sadness and the feelings caused by depression? • How intense the mood is: Depression is more intense than a simple “bad mood.” • How long the mood lasts: A bad mood is usually gone in a few days, but depression lasts for two weeks or longer. • How much it interferes with your life: A bad mood doesn’t keep you from going to work or school or spending time with friends. Depression can keep you from doing these things and may even make it difficult to get out of bed. Click here to learn more about depression. Q: What is bipolar disorder? A: Bipolar disorder (also known as manic depression) is a treatable, medical illness marked by extreme changes in mood, thought, energy and behavior.
