Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts.
It affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way they feel about themselves, and the way they think about things. Depression is not the same as a passing blue mood. It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed or wished away.
In any given one-year period, almost 10 percent of the population suffers from depression. The economic cost of the disorder is high, but the cost in human suffering cannot be estimated. Depression often interferes with normal functioning and can cause pain and suffering, not only to those who have it, but also to those who care about them. Serious cases can destroy family life, as well as the life of the person with this illness. But much of this suffering is unnecessary.
Depression is also known medically as:
- Major depression
- Major depressive disorder
- Clinical depression
- Unipolar depression.
Note: This article focuses on information related to major depression.
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