Feeling sadness is a normal part of every day life that occurs in response to everyday stress and soon fades away. Depression is more than just feeling sad or down. It is a chemical imbalance that occurs in the brain—a mental illness that requires proper treatment. A depressed person cannot “snap out” of depression more than one who is afflicted with the flu can “snap out” of his illness. Depression cannot be expected to fade away with time. It is a real disease, and should be treated as such.

There are two basic types of clinical depression. Major depressive disorder basically means that one feels sadness all the time. Bipolar disorder is a roller coaster of ups and downs, rocketing from extreme sadness to extreme happiness (mania), and back down again.

Depression affects more than 19 million Americans a year; about 1 in 8 teenagers may suffer from depression and 1 in 10 adults. Women are in the lead—one in four women suffer from depression. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among adolescents between the ages of 15 and 24. These statistics are estimated, because so many individuals that suffer from a depressive disorder have not been diagnosed and are not receiving treatment. Depression can affect anyone at any time.