Do You Think You Have Depression?

Do you have days where nothing can make you happy? You are not alone. I ignored my depressive thoughts about life for years. Unfortunately I didn't do anything to fix my situation until they became so dehabilitating that I had no choice.

Mental disorders are common in the United States and internationally. In a given year, an estimated 22.1% of Americans aged 18 and older (about 1 in 5 adults) suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder. According to the 1998 United States Census population estimate, this figure translates to 44.3 million people! In addition, 4 of the 10 leading causes of disability in the U.S. and other developed countries are mental disorders, with major depression being the leading cause of disability.

It is estimated that depression alone will occur in approximately 18.8 million American adults, or about 9.5% of the United States population aged 18 or above. If you are a woman, you are twice as likely than a man (12% vs. 6.6%) to be affected by depression each year.

My symptoms of depression started with an occasional case of the blahs. I was able to cope with them for a long time. I thought that since this happens to a lot of people, that it would pass and I didn't need to worry. I didn't think about finding out why it was happening. Besides, after a few drinks I always felt much better. I later learned that depressive disorders commonly occur with substance abuse...

So what is the cause of all of this sadness in our society? Speaking from experience, I wasn't happy with my life and the direction it was taking me. I would look back at a past week and not be able to recall one thing that I enjoyed. It was a blur. Nor would I look forward to the coming weeks ahead. All I saw were potential stresses that were going to present themselves. But I didn't do anything about it. I accepted that this was life. Looking back I don't know how I could have ever believed this.

When we are suffering from depression, it seems that we lose our objectivity. Does thinking that we have nothing to look forward to sound rational to you? Where did my enjoyment in life disappear to? It was my perception of the world that had slowly changed and I was unable to see it because of the control that my depression had over me.

In the fast pace of today's world we often don't allow ourselves time to evaluate our lives and set goals to realize our ambitions. Whether you do or do not have depression, you're reading this article because you think something might be wrong with your life. Have you tried to identify the things you are unhappy with? The first step for me was to educate myself and find out what it was that I was dealing with. I started reading books. I consulted a psychologist to get some unbiased insight about myself.

Otherwise, how do we find solutions for problems that we don't yet understand? So let's get started. What's stopping you?

David Smith is the writer for My Depression Help, a resource site where he describes his feelings and experiences with depression and provides the depression help treatment he used for his recovery. Read more about me and my depression experiences.

---

First Thing You Should Do to Get Out of Depression

Depression, in psychiatry, is a symptom of mood disorder characterized by intense feelings of loss, sadness, hopelessness, failure, and rejection. The two major types of mood disorder... Read More

ADHD and Depression -- More Common Than Thought

"Thanks for Noticin' Me" says Eeyore. He walks slowly. He looks sad. He doesn't accomplish much. He's just glad to be noticed. This is Eeyore, the stuffed... Read More

Dont Be Surprised!

Life wasn't easy for cave men. They had to hunt all day, kill their dinner with a club, and drag the carcass to the cave. Then they... Read More

Depression in Long Term Care Heart Patients Often Goes Untreated

Cardiologists, other doctors and long term care staff might be missing the big picture as one survey suggests that only a third of heart disease patients with... Read More

New FDA Approved Therapy for Depression: Timeline from Prescription to Procedure

On July 18, 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) approved vagus nerve stimulation as a treatment for chronic depression. On August 18th, I was a part... Read More

Eliminate The Belief That Your Illness Is Genetic

Many illnesses, emotional and otherwise, are often said to be genetic in origin. When one is told that their particular problem is of a genetic nature it... Read More

Depression And Celiac Disease

Depression is a condition which affects about 15% of the population. Women are more likely to be affected than men.It is quite common for people who have... Read More

FDA Deems Vagus Nerve Therapy Approvable as a Treatment for Depression

On February 3, 2005 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notified the manufacturer of the vagus nerve stimulator (Cyberonics, Inc.) that it had deemed its VNS... Read More

Is it ADHD or is it Depression?

During the assessment process it is of great importance for the physician or clinician to consider other possible causes of inattention, impulsivity, or hyperactivity in your child,... Read More

How To Help A Stressed Or Depressed Loved One

Having lived with a depressed partner for 3 years and suffered anxiety and depression for 5 years, I've experienced both sides. In this article, I'll show you... Read More

Your Daily Struggle With Depression

If you have been diagnosed with depression or feel that you are dealing with depression on a daily basis, you may feel that depression is consuming your... Read More

Psychiatrist Begin Training About Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Depression

The manufacturer of the vagus nerve stimulator has begun face-to face meetings with psychiatrists nationwide to educate them about vagus nerve stimulation therapy, how it works and... Read More

Raise Your Feeling Frequency with a Loving Smile

In every moment of our life we have the choice to think any thought we like. Sometimes we forget that we have the freedom to choose what... Read More

5 Super Effective Tips To Kill Depression

Being lonely is a normal part of our everyday lives. We get sad when we fail in our exams, when we're rejected by the person we love,... Read More

Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Depression - A Natural Treatment

A new research study has again shown that a diet rich in omega3 fatty acids can effectively treat and prevent depression and other mental disorders.The research, published... Read More

FDA Approves Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Treatment for Depression

On July 15th, 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) approved vagus nerve stimulation "for the adjunctive long-term treatment of chronic or recurrent depression for patients 18... Read More

Are the Benefits Worth the Costs?

Schizophrenia suffers around the world have benefitted greatly with the discoveries of modern medicine. Certain medications have been found to regulate and balance brain chemistry giving an... Read More

Depression Treatment: Depression Would Be Second Largest Illness by 2010!

World Health Organisation states one out of four worldwide suffer from various forms of mental, behavioral, and neurological disorders. Are you one of them?It has also been... Read More

Wellbutrin For Depression: When Its More Than Just The Blues

We all have blue days:We're missing someone we've lost, the expected promotion didn't come through, we've exhausted ourselves over the holidays. But when these feelings continue for... Read More

5 Way Tips To Manage Depression

Being lonely is a normal share of our everyday lives. We get sad when we fail in our exams, when we are rejected by the individual we... Read More

Fighting Depression by Restoring Your Routines

When we have depression, one of the things we drop from our lives is a routine. Most humans need routine as it adds structure to our lives.... Read More

Recognizing Depression?s Warning Signs

Depression is a serious illness, not a harmless part of life. It is a complex disorder with a variety of causes. It is never caused by just... Read More

Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Depression

Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Chronic or Treatment-Resistant Depression About Vagus Nerve Stimulation(VNS) VNS is not brain surgery, although it is a treatment that affects the function of... Read More

Neuromodulation Is Now The Mainstream Therapy For Chronic Depression

The cover of the March 7, 2005 issue of Business Week titled REWIRING THE HUMAN BODY, describes how neuromodulation brings new hope to the four million desperate... Read More

Depression is a Choice

There is one very simple reason for all emotional depression.In a recent article entitled "Intelligent Emotions" I discussed how the feelings of "happiness" and "saddness" emerge spontaneously... Read More

The Formula for Preventing Depression

While it is arguable that depression is not always preventable, there are many cases, when using the following ideas, will keep you in good spirits - most... Read More