How Long Are You Going To Wait To Feel Good Again?

Start Your Process Toward Feeling Better Today!

Depression is more than just "feeling blue" or "down hearted." It is even more than being sad or feeling grief after a loss. Depression is a medical disorder that day after day affects the thoughts, feelings, physical health, and quality of life for millions of Americans.

Depression can be caused by things such as:

• Family history and genetics
• Certain medicines
• Drugs or alcohol
• Other psychiatric conditions

Depression is not your fault. It is not a weakness. It is a medical illness. Depression is treatable.

The Illness of Depression
by Ronald L. Warnell, M.D.

Most of us have felt sad or blue for a brief period of time. These feelings are often triggered by a stressful event. Fortunately, normal feelings and function return quickly. In contrast, people who develop a Major Depressive Illness find that the sad or blue feelings don’t disappear but continue despite the person’s efforts to return to a normal routine or in spite of the admonitions of well-meaning people to not give in to the symptoms. As the symptoms continue beyond two weeks, the threshold for marking the beginning of a major depressive episode, additional symptoms are also present. These include lack of energy, decreased ability to concentrate, sleep disturbances, a change in appetite, decreased ability to enjoy everyday activities, an increase in negative thinking, and some times suicidal thoughts.

Major depression is common in the general population. In a 12-month time period, about 10% of adults will experience an episode of major depression. And approximately 17% of adults will have an episode of major depression during their lifetime. If left untreated, depression can lead to considerable dysfunction in one’s life. In fact, worldwide, major depression is the 4th leading cause of disability and it is estimated to become the 2nd leading cause of disability by 2020. Clearly, identifying depression and adequately treating it is vital.

While a brief bout of depressed feelings may respond to support from a friend or a professional, major depression requires more specific treatment. This includes various psychotherapies, which may be helpful, and/or antidepressant medications. Antidepressants are, as a whole, quite effective in reducing the symptoms of depression but not everyone responds to the medications that are currently available.

When a person suffers from major depression, research shows that brain functioning changes in many ways. These changes in brain functioning have opened the door to studying many different medications, which affect different brain systems. The ultimate goal of these studies is to produce effective antidepressants which, because they work on different systems, will help people who do not now respond to antidepressants. Another goal is to produce antidepressants with fewer side effects so that more people will be able to remain on them and receive adequate treatment.