Studies indicate that between 5 and 20 percent of people will suffer from depression at some time in their lives. Some people are at higher risk. These include females and people with chronic illnesses such as migraines, back pain, peptic ulcers, or a recent heart attack. People with a personal history or a family history of drug abuse or depression are also at higher risk.
Depression is both a physical and a psychological disorder.
It affects chemicals in the brain. How we think and how we act also have effects on depression. Depression can be treated with antidepressant medications and with psychotherapy. There are three main types of antidepressant medicines. The oldest class is known as MAO Inhibitors, or monamine oxidase inhibitors.