Depression Facts

What is Depression?

• Depression is such an illness which includes your whole body and research on this concluded that this is detected in the brain through modern imaging techniques. Most of the times, those who have very much depression can lead to imbalance of certain brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters and obliviously to depression afterwards
• Depression is more than the sadness or upset moods and disappointment which occurs due to ups and downs in the life. It is generally a set of more symptoms that are distinct from one's normal feelings and behavior. These depression symptoms last for more than weeks and interfere with daily individual and family functioning of an individual
• Depression is nothing but a treatable medical illness which can be marked by major changes in mood, thinking and energy levels. It is one of the most common and serious brain diseases in the US
• Major depression is only the type of the depression which occurs at any time during a one's lifetime

Symptoms of Depression

Many times it is observed that experiencing the following symptoms one by one or many at a time every day during a two-week period can cause clinical depression:

• Mainly sad feeling for a long duration
• Major disorders related to sleep
• Constant irritation, anger, care, worry about anything
• Pessimistic nature, indifference
• Lack of energy, persistent dullness
• Guilty feeling
• Lack of concentration
• Inability to take pleasure in former interests
• Undesirable pains
• Recurring thoughts or trying of suicide

Who Gets Depression?

Age group between 20 and 50 is more prone to depression generally. The average age group is of 40, and many times it occurs in the late teens or early young age is the result according to the National Institute of Mental Health in 1998. In case of children it is seen that in 33 children and one in eight have affected from clinical depression and is the research by the Center for Mental Health Services, US Dept.of Health and Human Services in 1996.

Those who have undergone depression or having depression problems are four times as likely to develop a heart attack than those who are normal. And the chance of second heart attack is seen more in them as well as the risk of death, and is the research by National Institute of Mental Health in 1998.

Research also have shown major depression may co-occur with other illnesses listed below:

1. 25 percent with cancer (which can be treated with chemotherapy medicines)
2. 10 - 27 percent with post-stroke
3. 50 - 75 percent with eating disorder
4. 27 percent with individuals with substance abuse disorders
5. 8.5 - 27 percent with diabetes

Depression and the Elderly

• Overall around six million people are affected by late life depression and only 10 percent ever receive treatment out of them
• 15 to 20 percent of US families are caring for older relative and out of them 58 percent are prone to clinically significant depressive symptoms

Women and Depression

• It is observed that women experience depression at twice the rate of men. The lifetime occurrence of major depression is found in 20 to 26 percent for women and 8 to 12 percent for men
• Postpartum changes the mood from blues immediately following baby birth to an major depression and even to severe, psychotic depression
• Depression may increase chances of broken bones risk in women

• Self Help for Depression
• End Depression Now
• Conquer Stress, Depression & Anxiety