Depression is more than sadness or feeling depressed for a few days.

Depression can last for years, it's a serious illness.
According to various reports as many as fifteen million Americans suffer from this disease. And yet, sadly, only about 1/3 of those people seek medical care. All too often people avoid recognizing or admitting that they suffer from depression because of the negative archetypes associated with mental illnesses. Depression gets worse with time. Without treatment it will take over your life. Ignorance in this case isn't bliss.

Depression is caused by a variety of factors. It can by biological, genetic, physical and emotional.
The day to day lives of the victim may even have a role. Detrimental factors such as stress can lead to it. It takes a lot of knowledge to address a complex issue like depression. As well, the human brain and its workings are quite complex. To learn how the mind works, doctors and researches are studying it each day.

It's clear that it's an imbalance of chemical compounds in the brain that creates depression. Researches learn more about this complex series of actions and reactions with passing time. The more we learn about depression the better we can treat it.

Depression can be treated with a host of available medications.
Quick fix schemes exist too, but they don't work. Make sure the treatment has been studied and scientifically proven to address depression. At one time asylums and mental institutions were filled to the brim with mentally ill people. It's good to know that's no longer the case. The anti-depressant Prozac first came into use in the USA in 1988. It has bee proven effective and is still in use today although it does come with side effects.

A new class of anti-depressants has become widely used since then.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, SSRI, are being used today. These include Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa, and Luvox. These have limited side effects and have been shown to work. The market is also ripe with herbal medications and treatments. The majority of these that have been proven to work as well as the anti-depressants contain the St. John Wort extract ingredient called 'hyperforin'. If this ingredient is used in the proper strength it is effective. Be careful, do your research and you will find effective medications to treat depression.

Evan