What is Depression? 

Depression is a medical condition that is marked by sadness, hopelessness, helplessness, pessimism, and a loss of interest in life day after day.  

A depressive disorder is NOT the same as a passing blue mood or a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed or wished away. People with a depressive illness cannot merely "pull themselves together" and get better. 

The Facts on Depression 

In any given year, 9.5 percent of the population, or about 18.8 million American adults, suffer from a depressive illness. Depression is the fourth leading cause of disability worldwide.

Adolescents 

• As many as 1 in every 8 adolescents may suffer from depression. 
• While boys appear to suffer more depression in childhood, the illness becomes more prevalent in adolescent girls. 

Women

• Women experience depression about twice as often as men. 
• Many hormonal factors may contribute to the increased rate of depression in women–particularly such factors as menstrual cycle changes, pregnancy, miscarriage, postpartum period, pre-menopause, and menopause. 
• Many women also face additional stresses such as responsibilities both at work and home, single parenthood, and caring for children and for aging parents. 

Men 

• Although men are less likely to suffer from depression than women, three to four million men in the United States are affected by the illness. 
• Men are less likely to admit to depression, and doctors are less likely to suspect it. 

The Elderly 

• Of the 35 million Americans age 65 or older, about 2 million suffer from full-blown depression. Another 5 million suffer from less severe forms of the illness. 
• Sometimes, depression is dismissed as a normal part of aging. 
• When the elderly go to a doctor, symptoms described are usually physical, because the older person is often reluctant to discuss feelings of hopelessness, sadness, loss of interest in normally pleasurable activities, or extremely prolonged grief after a loss. 

Depressive illnesses often interfere with normal functioning and cause pain and suffering not only to those who have a disorder, but also to those who care about them. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who suffer from depression. 

Most people with a depressive illness do not seek treatment, although the great majority–even those whose depression is extremely severe–can be helped. 

Sources

Mental Health Association of Minnesota, 2007

Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health, 2007

HelpGuide.org, 2007

Department of Employer Relations, 2007

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services