Whether someone with depression is a child/teenager, man, woman or an older adult, depression is not something to take lightly. It is more than feeling “unhappy” and can have a serious impact on the person and their relationships.

Who Can Get Depression?

Some people are more prone to depression because of:

• A family history of depression
• Being more emotionally vulnerable to depression
• Imbalances in brain chemistry
• Major life stress.

What are the Symptoms of Depression?

The main symptom of depression is feeling sad or despaired most of the time for at least two weeks; to such a degree that it impacts performance at work or school. Other symptoms of depression include:

• Changes in appetite or weight
• Difficulty sleeping
• Loss of interest in people
• Loss of interest in work or hobbies
• Feeling useless or hopeless
• Feeling agitated or irritable
• Fatigue
• Trouble concentrating or making decisions
• Difficulty remembering
• Crying easily or wanting to cry
• Thoughts of suicide
• Loss of touch with reality
• Hearing voices
• Having strange ideas

How Does Depression Vary Between Genders and Age?

• Depression in Women: Depression affects women nearly twice as often as men. Hormonal factors are believed to contribute to depression, especially during menstrual cycle changes, pregnancy, postpartum, miscarriage, and menopause.
• Depression in Men: Men with depression are more likely to feel irritable, angry and discouraged.  Though more women attempt suicide, men are four times more likely to commit (complete) suicide.
• Depression in Older Adults: Older adults sometimes find it difficult to talk about feeling hopeless or sad. Older adults with depression may lose interest in activities they normally enjoy or may have prolonged grief after a loss.
• Depression in Children: A child who is depressed may pretend to be sick, refuse to go to school, or cling to a parent. Older children may be grouchy or negative, get into trouble at school, and feel misunderstood. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell if a child is truly depressed or is simply going through a “phase.”

Types of Depression

Clinical (or major) depression is actually a “mood disorder” and is a significant mental health problem. There are different types of depression and they can have different causes and/or symptoms.

• Seasonal Affective Disorder: Affected by the weather and the time of year.
• Postpartum Depression: Affects 13% of women after the birth of a child.
• Depression with Psychosis: Lose touch with reality, may hallucinate or have delusions.
• Dysthymia: Chronically feeling “down”, moderate symptoms of depression.

It is important to understand that depression is more than just “the blues” and that this is not something an individual is able to overcome on their own. Thoughts of suicide must always be taken seriously. If you suspect that you or your loved one has depression, contact your physician or therapist. Leaving depression untreated can be dangerous… even deadly.