Who Gets Depression?

Depression is a very common condition that can affect approximately 1 in 20 Americans each year. Currently, due to Covid 19, we have seen a significant rise in depression in our country. Increased isolation, fear of illness, loss of jobs, loss of loved ones, and financial loss have contributed heavily to the rise we, as a nation, are experiencing. While it is quite normal to experience a reactive depression to these very real events, some individuals find themselves depressed without these very real events occurring in their lives.

Fortunately, depression is very treatable. Typically, the cycle for a depressive episode is approximately 6-9 months. Most likely, without treatment, you will recover from depression within this time frame. However, with the proper treatment, recovery can occur much more quickly. In fact, successful treatment can eliminate your depressive symptoms and restore you to your normal life within 6-8 weeks.

How Do I Know If I Have a Clinical Depression?

The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM 5) lists nine symptoms for major depression. If at least 5 of the symptoms listed below, including depressed mood or loss of interest in activities are present for 2 weeks or longer without physical cause, you should contact a health care practitioner immediately.

• Are you feeling sad, empty, down in the dumps?
• Have you lost interest/pleasure in those activities which were previously enjoyable?
• Do you have a change in appetite (eating more or less, gaining or losing weight)?
• Do you have a change in sleep patterns (sleeping too much or insomnia)?
• Are you frequently tired or feeling fatigued?
• Are you experiencing a loss of motivation?
• Do you have trouble concentrating or making decisions?
• Do you feel worthless or excessively guilty?
•  Do you have recurrent thoughts of death or suicide?