Depression: A Treatable Illness

Depression & Mood Disorders

New Strategies Help Depressed Patients Become Symptom-Free A recent study shows that one in three depressed patients who previously did not achieve remission using an antidepressant became symptom-free with the help of an additional medication.

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One in five adult Americans will have a mental illness during their lifetime that is severe enough to require treatment.

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Sometimes we forget how fleeting life is. If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, what would you do today?

What Makes People The Happiest?
It's not money or popularity.

Depression is a serious medical condition that involves the body, mood, and thoughts. It affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood. It is not 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. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who have depression.

Depression comes in different forms, just as is the case with other illnesses such as heart disease. The three main depressive disorders are: major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and bipolar disorder.

Major depression (or major depressive disorder) is manifested by a combination of symptoms (see symptom list below) that interfere with the ability to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy once pleasurable activities. A major depressive episode may occur only once, but it is more common for several episodes to occur in a lifetime. Chronic major depression may require a person to continue treatment indefinitely.

A less severe type of depression, dysthymia (or dysthymic disorder), involves long-lasting symptoms that do not seriously disable, but keep one from functioning well or feeling good. Many people with dysthymia also experience major depressive episodes during their lives.

Another type of depressive illness is bipolar disorder (or manic-depressive illness). Bipolar disorder is characterized by cycling mood changes: severe highs (mania) and lows (depression), often with periods of normal mood in between. When in the depressed cycle, an individual can have any or all of the symptoms of depression. When in the manic cycle, the person may be overactive, over-talkative, and have a great deal of energy. Mania often affects thinking, judgment, and social behavior in ways that cause serious problems and embarrassment. For example, an individual in a manic phase may feel elated and full of grand schemes that might range from unwise business decisions to romantic sprees.

Not everyone with a depressive disorder experiences every symptom. The number and severity of symptoms may vary among individuals and also over time. In addition, men and women may experience depression differently. Symptoms of depression include:

More than 80 percent of people with depressive disorders improve when they receive appropriate treatment. The first step to getting treatment is a physical examination by a physician to rule out other possible causes for the symptoms. Next, the physician should conduct a diagnostic evaluation for depression or refer the patient to a mental health professional for this evaluation.

Treatment choice will depend on the patient's diagnosis, severity of symptoms, and preference. A variety of treatments, including medications and short-term psychotherapies (i.e., "talking" therapies), have proven effective for depression. In general, severe depressive illnesses, particularly those that are recurrent, will require a combination of treatments for the best outcome. It usually takes a few weeks of treatment before the full therapeutic effect occurs. Once the person is feeling better, treatment may need to be continued for several months-and in some cases, indefinitely-to prevent a relapse.

National Institute of Mental Health
Office of Communications
6001 Executive Boulevard
Room 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663

Visit the NIMH website at http://www.nimh.nih.gov for information that supplements this publication.

NIMH publications are in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without the permission from the Institute (NIMH).

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Dedicated to all those travelers
who share in the one journey
that can never be made alone

No claims are made as to the reliability of any of the information provided or linked, sources often disagree. None of these pages are meant to be a replacement for professional help, but a resource that enables one to be a more intelligent consumer. You can learn a lot by becoming aware of different opinions. Don't be afraid to ask questions when it comes to your health, physical or emotional.

All writings, graphics and scripts are copyright by the individual authors. Nothing on this site may be reproduced without permission of the individual author or artist.
Copyright © 1995 - 2004 Regina Pickett Garson

Depression: A Treatable Illness

Dedicated to all those travelers
who share in the one journey
that can never be made alone

All writings, graphics and scripts are copyright by the individual authors. Nothing on this site may be reproduced without permission of the individual author or artist.
Copyright © 1995 - 2004 Regina Pickett Garson

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Depression: A Treatable Illness

Dedicated to all those travelers who share in the one journey that can never be made alone

All writings, graphics and scripts are copyright by the individual authors. Nothing on this site may be reproduced without permission of the individual author or artist. Copyright © 1995 - 2004 Regina Pickett Garson

Send a Free E-Card Search Magic Stream

Search Magic Stream

Dedicated to all those travelers
who share in the one journey
that can never be made alone

All writings, graphics and scripts are copyright by the individual authors. Nothing on this site may be reproduced without permission of the individual author or artist.
Copyright © 1995 - 2004 Regina Pickett Garson

Send a
Free E-Card

Search
Magic Stream

Search
Magic Stream