Depression is one of the most common psychological, affecting nearly everyone either through personal experience or through depression in a family member. Each year, more than 17 million American adults experience a period of clinical depression. The cost of human suffering cannot be estimated. Depression can interfere with normal operation, and often causes problems with work, social adaptation and family. It causes pain and suffering not only to those who have a disorder, but also those who care about them. Major depression can destroy family life and the life of the depressed person.
Impact of depression:
Causes tremendous emotional pain
Affect the lives of millions of people
Affects the lives of families and friends
It reduces work productivity and absenteeism.
A significant negative impact on the economy, estimated to cost 44 billion dollars per year.
Depression and bipolar depression are presented separately on this site because of problems encountered with the bipolar disorder. Those interested in information about the bipolar disorder must also verify the information on depression, bipolar disorder usually includes depressive episodes as well. Bipolar disorder was once known as manic-depression. It is a type of depression, and characterized by the presence of mood swings, especially "manic high" that often lead to high risk, self-injurious behavior. Most people with a bipolar disorder have both depressive and hypomanic episodes.
Depression is a psychological condition that changes your thinking and feeling and also affects your social behavior and sense of well-being. We all felt sad at one time or another, but not depression. Sometimes we feel tired of working hard, or discouraged when faced with serious problems. This too, is not depression. These feelings usually pass within a few days or weeks, once we adapt to stress. However, if these feelings persist, intensify, and begin to interfere with work, school or family responsibilities, it may be depression.
Depression can affect anyone. Once identified, most people with depression are treated successfully. Unfortunately, depression is not always diagnosed, because many of the symptoms mimic physical illness, such as sleep and appetite disorders. Recognizing depression is the first step of their treatment.
Almost two thirds of depressed people not receiving appropriate treatment:
The symptoms are not recognized as depression.
Depressed people are seen as weak or lazy.
The social stigma causes people to avoid treatment.
The symptoms are disabling, so that those affected cannot reach for help.
Many symptoms are misdiagnosed as physical problems.
Individual symptoms are treated, rather than the underlying cause.
Clinical depression is a very common psychological problem, and most people do not seek appropriate treatment, or seek treatment but are misdiagnosed as physical illness. This is extremely unfortunate because, with proper treatment, nearly 80% of people with depression can significantly improve their mood and life adjustment.
By: DoDo Sameh