These moods go away within a couple of days, and we can enjoy life again. Clinical depression is much more than that, and is comparable to a down mood as much as a sneeze is comparable to pneumonia. It is an illness that affects a person in many different ways. It can affect appetite, sleep patterns, powers of concentration, and even slow down movement and speech. The good news it that help and treatment are availalbe.
Most people respond well to medications and therapy.
The medications are not addicting. The medications can take 3 to 6 weeks to become effective. Some people have to try different medications and different doses before they find the one that works best. The message I want to convey is that depression is a treatable illness. Self medicating with alcohol and drugs isn't going to get you better either.