Life is full of ups and downs. But when the down times last for weeks or months at a time or keep you from living a “normal life,” you may be suffering from depression.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports that in any given one-year period, approximately 21 million Americans suffer from a depressive disorder. Depression is not just a sadness that comes and goes or a bad mood that disappears after a few hours. Depression has the ability to affect the way people eat and sleep, feel about themselves, and how they think about things.

Unfortunately, many people who suffer from depression do not seek treatment. What they may not realize is that depression is a treatable disease, and even people with the most severe cases can be helped. There is an abundance of different treatment options and people to help you. By understanding the causes, symptoms and treatments, you can learn to manage your depression.

Source: National Institute of Mental Health