Depression is a mental health disorder in which a person may feel discouraged, sad, hopeless, unmotivated or uninterested in life, but there are treatment options, reports the Anxiety Disorders Association of America.
Basics
The symptoms of depression must last for more than two weeks at a time while significantly interfering with a person’s life, notes MayoClinic.com.
Types
According to HelpGuide.org, there are several different types of depression including major depression, atypical depression, dysthymia, seasonal affective disorder and bipolar disorder.
Treatment
HelpGuide.org reports that treatment for depression is highly effective and can include therapy, medication and alternative approaches. Therapy helps people with depression learn skills and techniques to keep their symptoms from returning.
Considerations
Depression disorders are complicated mental health illnesses that result from chemical imbalances in the brain and cannot be cured simply by taking a pill, notes HelpGuide.org. A person with depression may have to make changes in his lifestyle and relationships in order to ward off the illness.
Warning
With all forms of depression, there is a risk of suicide. People with depression should be monitored for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. If someone is at risk of suicide, her therapist should be notified and she should be taken to the emergency room immediately.
