Depression Many of us, when we think about depression, can relate it to a time in our lives when we've felt sad or blue. Loss of a loved one, a break-up in a relationship or problems at work may all be contributing factors to feeling depressed for a short time period. Feeling sad or blue is a normal emotion and one that probably all of us have felt at one time or another. It is when these feelings persist or are prolonged, however, that medical treatment should be sought. Depression is diagnosed as an illness when these emotions continue for an extended period of time and are accompanied by feelings of guilt, hopelessness or thoughts of suicide.
Clinical depression is the most commonly diagnosed emotional problem.
Researchers say that up to 25 percent of all Americans suffer from it at some time during their lives. In addition, up to four percent of Americans have symptoms of clinical depression at any given time. Suicide may be thought of as the only solution. Statistics show that a large percentage of people who attempt or commit suicide have experienced recent bouts of clinical depression. Emotions are often difficult to control and hard to manage.