Depression *Depression is not a character flaw or a weakness; Depression is an illness. *More than 18 million Americans suffer from some type of depression, and one in eight     people needs treatment for depression during his or her lifetime. *Depression is neither a "mood" nor a personal weakness that you can change at will,        by "pulling yourself together" or "snapping out of it" Who Gets Depressed? *Everyone can... *Depression is a resuly of several causes, working together or seperatly. These causes        include but are not limited to:life trauma, especially childhood abuse, chemical                 imbalances, seperate physical illnesses such as multiple schlerosis, secere psycological      difficulties, and/or major life changes such as a death. *Even famous people. There are several well-known persons among the list of those who    battled the debilitating illness: Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Vincent Van         Gogh, Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, Marilyn Monroe, Ernest Hemingway - the list         goes on. In fact, anyone can develop clinical depression. No occupation, race, gender,        or  age is immune to this illness. *Of all the medical illnesses, clinical depression is one of the most treatable. *Over 80% of people with depression can be treated successfully with psychotherapy,          medication, or a combination of the two. *Treating depression reduces the risk of recurrence. *Changes in lifestyle - such as exercise, yoga, meditation, and a healthy diet can help         relieve stress, which can lead to depression. *Early treatment can help you feel better and return quickly to work and regular daily       activities. *Early treatment can help stop the symptoms of depression from becoming more severe     and more long-lasting. *Treatment can reduce thoughts of death, the risk of suicide, increase pleasure in usual      activities, help the person to become more social anr raise self esteem. Typical Symptoms 1) Lack of interest or pleasure in your usual activities and a lack of motivation.                    Depression makes it difficult to care about things that used to be important. You may      have to push yourself to get things done. Even little things can seem a burden. Many        people who have depression say they are bored and sluggish, and even if they have no       sleep problems, they are tired all the time. Reduced interest in sex is also common. 2) Changes in appetite. Depression can increase or decrease appetite, so people who              have depression may gain or lose weight. 3) Sleep problems. Some people who have depression are unable to fall asleep; some             awaken often during the night and may be unable to get back to sleep. And some              have sleep that is restless and dream-filled. Other depressed people may sleep too            much, or find they need frequent naps in addition to their usual night's sleep. 4) Anxiety or restlessness. People who have depression are often restless and anxious to       the point of agitation. The anxiety can cause impatience and anger, and make people        less able to deal with even a low level of stress. 5) Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and insecurity. People with depression often feel              negatively about themselves, the world around them, and the future. They may feel          guilty about things in the past. Many people with depression feel that they are                  worthless or that their depression is a punishment for something they have done or          left undone. Depression can lead to feelings of insecurity and the need to be dependent      on others. It can also lead to poor grooming and personal hygiene. 6) Difficulty concentrating and thinking clearly. Depression makes it hard to think               clearly, and decisions about even small things may be difficult to make. Often, people       who have depression cannot concentrate easily-so work and daily routines become less       efficient, and feelings of failure and disgust may appear. Causes As with illnesses such as diabetes or high blood pressure, depression can "run in your family." Depression can be brought on by a number of factors working individually or in combination. Some of the more common triggers of depression are severe psychological stress: Relationship problems, death in the family, divorce, financial difficulties; any long-term stressful situation, even prolonged, cloudy winters (S.A.D.) A physical illness or condition: Cancer, diabetes, stroke, heart attack, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, major surgery, or multiple sclerosis. Medical treatments include Prozac which is manufactured by Eli Lily and Zoloft which is manufactured by Pfizer.