Women are diagnosed nearly twice as often as men, and the most frequently diagnosed age group is 25-44. Adolescents are the fastest growing group of people diagnosed. Regardless of the statistics, what matters most to you is how you feel. It may be helpful to you to know, though, that nearly 20 million Americans suffer depression, and the rates in every age group are on the rise. Many people are clearly struggling, and the need for effective help is obvious.
Depression is more than an individual problem.
It s often normal to feel depressed. Since anyone, from children to the elderly, will most likely feel sad many times in their lives, the important thing is to know when normal sadness is turning into something more serious. First examine how long you have been depressed. If so, that s an understandable reaction. You may want to seek the support of therapy, but probably not for clinical depression.