What is Major Depression?
Major depression is a serious medical illness affecting 9.9 million American adults, or approximately 5 percent of the adult population in a given year. Unlike normal emotional experiences of sadness, loss, or passing mood states, major depression is persistent and can significantly interfere with an individual’s thoughts, behavior, mood, activity, and physical health.
Among all medical illnesses, major depression is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. and many other developed countries.
More than twice as many women (6.7 million) as men (3.2 million) suffer from major depressive disorder each year. Major depression can occur at any age including childhood, the teenage years and adulthood.
All ethnic, racial and socioeconomic groups suffer from depression. About three-fourths of those who experience a first episode of depression will have at least one other episode in their lives. Some individuals may have several episodes in the course of a year.
If untreated, episodes commonly last
anywhere from six
months to a year. Left untreated, depression can lead to suicide.
What are the symptoms of Major Depression?
The onset of the first episode of major depression may
not be obvious
if it is gradual or mild. The symptoms of
major depression characteristically
represent a significant change from how a person functioned before
the illness.
The symptoms of depression include:
persistently
sad or irritable mood
pronounced
changes in sleep, appetite, and energy
difficulty
thinking, concentrating, and remembering
physical
slowing or agitation
lack
of interest in or pleasure from activities that
were once
enjoyed
feelings
of guilt, worthlessness, hopelessness,
and emptiness
recurrent
thoughts of death or suicide
persistent
physical symptoms that do not respond
to treatment,
such as headaches, digestive disorders,
and chronic
pain
When several of these symptoms of depressive disorder occur at the same time, last longer than two weeks, and interfere with ordinary functioning, professional treatment is needed.
"Hope is necessary in every condition."
Samuel Johnson
1709-1784
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