What is Depression and what can we do about it?
Sadness, feeling down, and having a loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities are familiar feelings for all of us. But if they persist and affect our lives substantially, the issue may be depression .Depression is the main cause of disability worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) . It can affect adults, adolescents, and children. What causes depression? It's often said that depression results from a chemical imbalance, but that figure of speech doesn't capture how complex the disease is. Research suggests that depression doesn't spring from simply having too much or too little of certain brain chemicals. Rather, there are many possible causes of depression, including faulty mood regulation by the brain, genetic vulnerability, stressful life events, medications, and medical problems. It's believed that several of these forces interact to bring on depression. Signs and symptoms The symptoms of depression can include: • A depre...