My first experience with depression.
I was studying Psychology at the undergrad level when I had drinks and appetizers with a depressed girl. She was single and living at home with her 2 year old daughter. Our conversation deteriorated when she described her depression and I wisely advised her to snap out of it, saying she could overcome it by positive thinking (and maybe some exercise, too). Luckily, I was inebriated at the time - I like to think I'd never be so ignorant and insensitive when I'm sober!
That interaction is burned into my memory not just because she was right and I was wrong, but because there's so much more to depression than positive thinking and exercise. There's drugs, too.
Seriously, it's a nasty disorder that's wreaks havoc on the depressed person - as well as friends, family, and even colleagues. It can disrupt life horribly, and people who have overcome it say they'll never forget the dark emotional depths to which they can sink.
The World Health Organization figures depression will be the number one disorder by 2020. About 10-15% of the population experiences depression (the word itself is sad and draggy!), and 5% struggles with manic depression.
Scientists are still uncovering the causes of depression - though there are three main theories. Mortality rates of depressed people are high and the socioeconomic costs to society are increasing, making the discovery of the cause quite important.
Coping when someone you love has depression is never easy - here are some suggestions to make it easier.
