In children , depression can produce sadness, apathy, sleeping and eating problems. Severely depressed children may feel hopeless. Some think about or attempt suicide. Many older men and women suffer from depressive illnesses. Poor diets, failing health, side effects from medicines, and the deaths of friends and loved ones - all can contribute.
Many older people deny feeling depressed and blame their symptoms on physical ailments.
About 15 per cent of depressed people eventually die by suicide. The risk increases with age, but more and more young people are killing themselves. Some people say that anyone who talks about suicide will not try it. This is not true. Many who attempt suicide have appealed for help first by threatening to do so.