What Is Depression?
Almost all of us feel low sometimes, usually because of a disturbing or difficult event in our lives. But ongoing sadness or despair can be caused by depression, a serious condition that warrants treatment. Talking to your primary care doctor can be a good place to start. Your doctor can screen you for depression and help treat your symptoms.
Depression affects more than 300 million people worldwide — 20% of all women, 10% of all men, and 5% or more of all adolescents. It is the leading cause of disability worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, and is the second most common psychiatric problem in the U.S. (after anxiety disorders), afflicting about 17.6 million people each year at a cost in the range of about $50 billion a year.