Unfortunately, many fail to recognize the illness and get the treatment that would alleviate their suffering. Nearly everyone with the illness has pervasive feelings of sadness. They may feel helpless, hopeless, and irritable. Studies show that depression is the illness that underlies the majority of suicides, the eighth leading cause of death, and the third leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 24. More than half of the people who have had one episode of major depression will have another at some point in their lives.
Depression is one of the most treatable mental illnesses.
Most depressions are treated with combinations of medication and psychotherapy. Medication must be used at an adequate dosage level and or a long enough time. Generally, antidepressant medications become fully effective within three to six weeks after a person begins taking them. However, most patients will have to remain on the medication for several months after symptoms disappear. Patients with recurring depression may have to remain on medication for many years.