It affects the way you eat and sleep, the way you feel about yourself, and the way you think about things. A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood. It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed or wished away. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who suffer from depression.
Depressive disorders come in different forms, just as do many other illnesses.
Some types of depression run in families, indication that a biological vulnerability can be inherited. And even though depression may occur generation after generation in some families, it can also occur in people who have no family history of depression. According to researchers, certain depressive disorders are often associated with having too little or too much of certain neurochemicals. Psychological makeup also plays a role in vulnerability to depression. People who have low self-esteem, who consistently view themselves and the world with pessimism, or who are readily overwhelmed by stress are prone to depression.