Proper treatment for depression involves a long-term variety of options I have written about depression several times in this column. As a family physician and chronic pain specialist, I am constantly interacting with patients who have this serious problem. To get an idea of the scope that this disease encompasses, know that there is a 5 to 11 percent lifetime prevalence. This means that from 10 to 14 million people in United States suffer from depression in any given year. It is twice as common in women, and there is a close association with the menstrual cycle and a woman's hormone status in general.
Depression is very common after childbirth.
It also strikes in the early stage of menopause and after a hysterectomy. These times correlate to periods in which the estrogen level falls. Recent studies show that untreated most cases of depression last from six to 24 months. However, depression can be fatal. One out of seven people with recurrent depression commits suicide and 70 percent of suicide victims have depression.