Depression is a serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.  Depression has a variety of symptoms, but the most common are a deep feeling of sadness or a marked loss of interest or pleasure in activities.  Other symptoms include:

• Changes in appetite that lead to weight losses or gains unrelated to dieting

• Insomnia or oversleeping

• Loss of energy or increased fatigue

• Restlessness or irritability

• Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt

• Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions

• Thoughts of death or suicide, or attempts at suicide

Even though the term “depression” is used widely, depression and sadness are not the same.  While feelings of sadness will lessen over time, the disorder of depression can continue for months or even years.  Patients who have experienced depression note marked differences between normal sadness and the disabling weight of depression.

Depression is common, affecting nearly one in ten adults each year (nearly twice as many women as men). 

While anyone can be affected by depression, the following factors can play a role in the onset of the disorder

• Biochemistry (abnormalities in two chemicals in the brain, serotonin and norepinephrine, might contribute to symptoms of depression)
  
  
• Genetics (depression can run in families)
  
  
• Personality (people with low self-esteem, who are easily overwhelmed by stress, or who are generally pessimistic appear to be vulnerable to depression)
  
  
• Environmental factors (continuous exposure to violence, neglect, abuse or poverty may make people more vulnerable to depression)

Mild depression can be controlled through exercise, a healthy diet, and reducing stress, but for more severe cases, medication and psychotherapy may be necessary.  Depression is among the most treatable of mental disorders: 80% to 90% of people with depression eventually respond well to treatment, and almost all patients gain some relief from their symptoms.

For more information or assistance finding mental health services in Baltimore, please contact Baltimore Mental Health Systems, Inc. at 410-837-2647 or www.bmhsi.org.

1
www.healthyminds.org/multimedia/depression.pdf, American Psychiatric Association, accessed 10/10/06.