October is National Depression Screening Month. One in 10 Americans struggles with depression. A common misconception about depression is that it is something people can just "snap out of." Unfortunately, for those people who experience major depression disorder, it's not that simple. While depression can be serious, it is far from hopeless. There are effective treatments and actions people can take to overcome this disorder. There are certain truths about depression that are important to understand, as we target this debilitating disorder that often spans generations.
1) Depression is a more than just a bad mood. As I've mentioned above, it's important for friends and relatives of those struggling to understand that people who suffer from depression can't just feel better. People experiencing a major depression really need professional treatment. Depression is a mind/body issue and should be treated with the same self-compassion and treatment-seeking with which we would treat any major illness.
2) Depression is affecting younger people. In what's been referred to in the field of psychology as "the greening of depression," younger people are reporting increased levels of stress and depression. According to the Federal Center for Mental Health Services, "depression affects as many as one in every 33 children and one in eight adolescents." The APA has additionally reported that higher numbers of college students are seeking treatment for depression and anxiety, with the number of students on psychiatric medications increasing by 10 percent in 10 years.
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Category(s):Depression
Source material from Huffington Post
