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Depression

Condition Overview:

Depression is a feeling of intense sadness; it may follow a recent loss or other sad event but is out of proportion to that event and persists beyond an appropriate length of time.

After anxiety, depression is the most common mental health disorder. An estimated 10% of people who see their doctors for what they think is a physical problem are actually experiencing depression. People who become depressed typically do so in their 20s, 30s, or 40s, although depression can begin at almost any age. Depression affects a number of children and adolescents (see Mental Health Disorders: Depression). People born in the latter part of the 20th century seem to have higher rates of depression and suicide than those of previous generations, in part because of higher rates of substance abuse.
An episode of depression typically lasts about 6 months if untreated, but sometimes it lasts for 2 years or more. Episodes generally tend to recur several times over a lifetime.
 

A number of factors may make a person more likely to experience depression, such as a family tendency (heredity), side effects of certain drugs, and emotionally distressing events, particularly those involving a loss. Despite commonly held beliefs, however, depression does not necessarily reflect a personality disorder, childhood trauma, poor parenting, or weakness of character. Depression may arise or worsen without any apparent or significant life stresses.Social class, race, and culture do not appear to affect the chance that a person will experience depression in his or her lifetime. However, a person's sex does appear to have an effect: Women are twice as likely as men to experience depression, though the reasons are not entirely clear. Of physical factors, hormones are the ones most involved. Changes in hormone levels, which can create mood changes shortly before menstruation and after childbirth, might play some role in women. Similarly, the use of oral contraceptives or hormone (estrogen) replacement therapy may contribute to or cause mood changes. Abnormal thyroid function, which is fairly common in women, may also be a factor.
Transient depression is when someone becomes temporarily depressed in reaction to certain holidays (holiday blues) or meaningful anniversaries, such as the anniversary of a loved one's death; during the premenstrual phase (premenstrual dysphoric disorder); or during the first 2 weeks after giving birth (postpartum depression).

Such reactions are normal, but people with an increased predisposition to depression may develop significant depression during such times. Depression without an apparent precipitating event is called melancholia (formerly called endogenous depression). These distinctions, however, are not very important, since the effects and treatment of the depression are similar.

A number of mental health disorders can predispose a person to depression, including certain anxiety disorders, alcoholism and other substance abuse disorders, and schizophrenia.