Clinical depression affects mood, mind, body, and behavior.
Treatment can alleviate the symptoms in over 80 percent of the cases. Yet, because it often goes unrecognized, depression continues to cause unnecessary suffering. Women are disproportionately affected by depression, experiencing it at roughly twice the rate of men. Research continues to explore how the illness affects women. At the same time, it is important to increase women's awareness of what is already known about depression, so that they seek early and appropriate treatment.