Depression affects nearly one in six people at some point in their lives. Anyone can become depressed, but many experts believe genetics play a role. Having a parent or sibling with depression increases your risk of developing the disorder.
Women are twice as likely as men to become depressed. And men exhibit different signs of depression than women do. They may become irritable, angry, or unhappy with their jobs, and may not show any signs of sadness. They might feel hopeless or helpless.
Depression is not a sign of weakness or a negative personality. It is a serious medical illness… a health problem related to changes in the brain, and the top cause of disability in American adults.Our culture admires will power and mental toughness and is quick to label anyone who falls short of that, as a whiner. But, people who have clinical depression are not lazy or feeling sorry for themselves. Nor can they “will” depression to go away.
Some life events cause sadness or disappointment, but do not become clinical depression. Grief is normal after a death, divorce, loss of a job, or diagnosis with a serious health problem. One clue that helps determine the need for treatment: the sadness is constant every day, most of the day. When people are weathering difficult times appropriately, they can usually be distracted or cheered up for short periods of time.