Do You Think You Have Depression?

Do you have days where nothing can make you happy? You are not alone. I ignored my depressive thoughts about life for years. Unfortunately I didn't do anything to fix my situation until they became so dehabilitating that I had no choice.

Mental disorders are common in the United States and internationally. In a given year, an estimated 22.1% of Americans aged 18 and older (about 1 in 5 adults) suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder. According to the 1998 United States Census population estimate, this figure translates to 44.3 million people! In addition, 4 of the 10 leading causes of disability in the U.S. and other developed countries are mental disorders, with major depression being the leading cause of disability.

It is estimated that depression alone will occur in approximately 18.8 million American adults, or about 9.5% of the United States population aged 18 or above. If you are a woman, you are twice as likely than a man (12% vs. 6.6%) to be affected by depression each year.

My symptoms of depression started with an occasional case of the blahs. I was able to cope with them for a long time. I thought that since this happens to a lot of people, that it would pass and I didn't need to worry. I didn't think about finding out why it was happening. Besides, after a few drinks I always felt much better. I later learned that depressive disorders commonly occur with substance abuse...

So what is the cause of all of this sadness in our society? Speaking from experience, I wasn't happy with my life and the direction it was taking me. I would look back at a past week and not be able to recall one thing that I enjoyed. It was a blur. Nor would I look forward to the coming weeks ahead. All I saw were potential stresses that were going to present themselves. But I didn't do anything about it. I accepted that this was life. Looking back I don't know how I could have ever believed this.

When we are suffering from depression, it seems that we lose our objectivity. Does thinking that we have nothing to look forward to sound rational to you? Where did my enjoyment in life disappear to? It was my perception of the world that had slowly changed and I was unable to see it because of the control that my depression had over me.

In the fast pace of today's world we often don't allow ourselves time to evaluate our lives and set goals to realize our ambitions. Whether you do or do not have depression, you're reading this article because you think something might be wrong with your life. Have you tried to identify the things you are unhappy with? The first step for me was to educate myself and find out what it was that I was dealing with. I started reading books. I consulted a psychologist to get some unbiased insight about myself.

Otherwise, how do we find solutions for problems that we don't yet understand? So let's get started. What's stopping you?

David Smith is the writer for My Depression Help, a resource site where he describes his feelings and experiences with depression and provides the depression help treatment he used for his recovery. Read more about me and my depression experiences.

---

Powered by Feedzilla

Contact Us Today For Ad Information...

Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Cheap Domain Names

Natural Treatment for Depression - Is There An Alternative?

Many people who are suffering from mild to moderate depression,... Read More

Eliminate The Belief That Your Illness Is Genetic

Many illnesses, emotional and otherwise, are often said to be... Read More

Natural Remedies For Depression

It is true that forms of depression cannot be avoided,... Read More

FDA Nears Completion of Review of Vagus Nerve Stimulation For Chronic Depression

On June 2 at 8:00 pm ET, Reuters news service... Read More

Use Alternative Medicine to Ease Depression

Depression is a problem that faces many of us, young... Read More

Depression: 14 Universal Laws for Recovery

The Law of BlueJust sort of feeling blue, kinda out... Read More

Surviving the Storms of Life

August in Florida has a daily ritual that Floridians take... Read More

Quick Steps To Reduce Your Worries

Looking for a way to reduce the amount of worrying... Read More

Recognizing Depression

Depression is a serious issue. There are simply hundreds of... Read More

Psychiatrist Begin Training About Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Depression

The manufacturer of the vagus nerve stimulator has begun face-to... Read More

Depression is the Number One Cause of Disability in the United States

According to the World Health Organization, 4 of the 10... Read More

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome And Depression Are Not The Same Thing!

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a... Read More

Depression Help & Support Groups

For those who face depression, every day of their lives... Read More

Everyday I have the Blues: A Medical Intuitive look at Depression

It may come in waves, it may control our lives.... Read More

How Do You Know if You Have Manic-Depression

Nancy was doing very well until about two years ago... Read More

Depression-My Story

What is depression?Depression is a serious medical illness; it's not... Read More

When Your Fears and Depression Have the Best of You

What do you do when your fears and depression are... Read More

Are you suffering from Depression?

Millions of people sufferaround the world from a depressive illness.... Read More

How to Put an End to Depression

Depression can have many, many faces. If you are not... Read More

Neuromodulation Is Now The Mainstream Therapy For Chronic Depression

The cover of the March 7, 2005 issue of Business... Read More

How You Can Learn To Treat Depression

When a person undertakes a course of therapy through their... Read More

It Aint Easy Being Brave

A zoo attendant entered a lion cage carrying only a... Read More

Fighting Depression by Restoring Your Routines

When we have depression, one of the things we drop... Read More

New Treatment for Depression to be Presented at the American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting

Within the next few weeks, the FDA is expected to... Read More

5 Tips to Reduce Depression

While war and poor economic conditions begin to affect people... Read More