Nearly 15 million Americans each year are affected by a serious illness called depression. Make no mistake, it is a real disease. It’s not a reflection on the personal attributes of the patient despite it being a mental illness. Depression can affect anyone. It has no reasoning for its path. Executives to janitors can be affected. Race isn’t a factor. It’s not true that only weaker people suffer from this problem. Mental illness comes with stereotypes, ignore them. The longer a patient goes without treatment, the worse this disease becomes. Pretending nothing is wrong won’t chase away this problem. Untreated this illness will advance and will take over your life.
There are many different types of depression and it is brought on by many factors in our life. This illness is more than just feeling sad and confused for a day or so. Depression can be a matter of months and even years. Suicide often results from depression. Remorse is often a feeling associated with the early stages. It can take from you the enjoyment that you once used to receive from your favorite activities. You can experience loneliness and despair. A sense of failure and feelings of impending doom in the future often appear. Day by day your personality changes to the point that your friends don’t recognize your actions. You will feel the affects at work, at school and at home. Expect insomnia and increased anxiety.
There are many causes of depression. A major contributer is stress. Stress itself has many causes such as losing a friend or being told you have a serious medical condition. Genetics are important. It can be caused by abuse rather it be physical, emotional or sexual. Even something as simple as reading the financial news can create it. There is so much stress in the world today to compete and satisfy those in our society. This disease can become very dangerous. There is help for depression for people who look to be treated. Only about one third of the 15 million people who have depression will seek depression help according to data. You have to want help or you have to have someone who loves you seek the help for you.
Prozac and other depression medications, along with psychotherapy, are a common combination treatment. However, this can get to be very expensive and the anti-depressants offer as many side affects as the depression itself. There are natural medications available that contain the ingredient ‘hyperforin’ that are just as effective as the prescribed anti-depressants. Another effective treatment for this terrible disease is the support of others who suffer it. The bottom line is this there are cures for depression but you have to want it or someone has to want it for you.
