Depression Information
Depression is a common illness, affecting more than 17 million people in the US each year.
Although the exact cause of depression is not known most researchers believe it to be due to a chemical “imbalance” in the brain.
Antidepressant medications work to reestablish the balance of “neurotransmitter chemicals” in the brain.
Counselling plays a key role to help patients plan effective behavioral strategies to combat their depression.
Helpful Tips
Don't tell someone with depression to snap out of it.
If you've never experienced depression yourself, then it's impossible to know how helpless and hopeless a person can feel in the midst of it.
Understand that depression is a serious illness that requires medical attention. It isn't the result of a character flaw or moral weakness. It may result from a chemical imbalance in the brain. When someone with depression can't get out of bed, go to work or play with their children, it's not laziness. Rather, it may be a debilitating sense of fatigue, overwhelming feelings of worthlessness or the inability to make even simple decisions.
People with depression can no more snap out of it than can people with diabetes or arthritis. If a loved one has depression, don't tell them to smile more or just get over it. People don't enjoy having depression, but they can't simply will themselves into wellness.
Try reading more about the condition and treatment to better understand what it's like to have depression.
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