These are tell-tale signs of clinical depression. Stigma remains the single biggest barrier to treatment for depression. If you see a psychiatrist, you must be emotionally weak or crazy. Some patients even think medicine is only necessary if they re suicidal. We go for help immediately if we have severe chest pain, but see no urgency when it comes to severe emotional pain.
Depression is a medical illness, just like heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
A chemical imbalance in the brain can cause depression, and frequently does. We now have improved medications that can correct the imbalance and either stop or decrease the symptoms. That track record exceeds what a cancer or heart disease patient might expect. Besides stigma and a lack of education about depression, our insurance system works against those who suffer from mental illnesses. Therefore, coverage is spotty, at best.