Depression

Depression

Depression is a common illness that is often misunderstood, many who suffer from depression are unaware of the symptoms, fail to receive professional treatment, and as a result are hindered from maintaining a healthy social life.

Depression is a serious illness that can affect anybody, including teenagers. It can affect your thoughts, feelings, behavior, and overall health. Most people with depression can be helped with treatment. But, most depressed people never get the help they need. And when depression isn't treated, it can get worse, last longer, and prevent you from getting the most out of your life.

First, there are two kinds of depression. “The sad kind called major depression dysthymia or reactive depression, and manic-depression or bipolar illness, when feeling down and depressed alternates with being speeded-up and sometimes acting reckless.” Having depression doesn't mean that a person is weak, or a failure, or isn't really trying. It means they need treatment. Most people with depression can be helped with counseling provided by a professional psychologist and some are helped with counseling and medicine.

Counseling or psychotherapy means talking about feelings with a psychologist who can help you change the relationships, thoughts, or behaviors that are causing the depression.

Medicine is used to treat depression that is severe or disabling. Antidepressant medications are not "uppers" and are not addictive. But most often, counseling alone is sufficient.