It can change one's feelings, behavior, physical health and appearance, academic performance, and the ability to handle daily decisions and pressures. We do not yet know all the causes of depression, but there seem to be biological and emotional factors that may increase the liklihood that an individual will develop a depressive disorder. Painful experiences and certain personality patterns such as difficulty handling stress, low esteem, or extreme pessimism about the future, can increase the chances of becoming depressed. A. Clinical depression is a lot more common than most people think. It affects 10 million people in the U.S. every year.
Depression affects people of all ages but is less common for teenagers than for adults.
A. Depression can be very serious. It has been linked to poor academic performance, alcohol and drug abuse, and feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness. There are various forms of depression. Some people experience only one episode of depression in a lifetime, but others have several recurrences. Some depressive episodes begin suddenly for no apparent reason, while others can be associated with a difficult life situation or unusual stress.