Depression has become a topic of great interest. Regularly, we hear it discussed on TV and see it written about in newspapers and magazines. With the growing awareness that depression is an illness with probable biological causes, people may find it easier to share their fears and feelings with their family and others.

Who Gets Depressed?
Everyone can - including famous people. There are several well-known persons among the list of those who battled the debilitating illness: Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Vincent Van Gogh, Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, Marilyn Monroe, Ernest Hemingway - the list goes on. In fact, anyone can develop clinical depression. Generals (George S. Patton), princesses (Diana Spencer), presidents (Calvin Coolidge, Richard Nixon), scientists (Primo Levi, Salvador Luria), prime ministers (Winston Churchill, Menachem Begin), athletes (Ty Cobb), and dancers (Vaslov Nijinsky) have suffered from depression. No occupation, race, gender, or age is immune to this illness.

Bad News and Good News
The bad news:
• Depression is a recurring illness. If you have one episode, there is a 50% chance you will have another. The chances of 
   recurrence increase to 70% after two episodes and 90% chance after three episodes.
• Untreated, depression can last up to 6 months or longer. For as many as 10% of people, depression may last much longer.
• It's estimated that 15% of people with chronic depression commit suicide.
• The social stigma surrounding depression is still substantial and may prevent people from seeking treatment. The National
   Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that two-thirds of people suffering from depression are without the help they need.

Now the good news:
• Of all the medical illnesses, clinical depression is one of the most treatable. More than 80% of people with depression can be 
   treated successfully with medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two.
• Treating depression reduces the risk of recurrence.
• Changes in lifestyle - such as exercise, yoga, meditation, and a healthy diet - can help relieve stress, which can lead to depression.
• Early treatment can help you feel better and return quickly to work and regular daily activities.
• Early treatment can help stop the symptoms of depression from becoming more severe and more long-lasting.
• Treatment can reduce thoughts of death, and lower the risk of suicide.

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with depression, effective treatment strategies that can help you feel good again are available. With treatment, you can take back your life, feel renewed, and enjoy your family, friends, and community.

Remember:
• Depression is a real illness, not a weakness.
• Depression is not something you've brought on yourself, and it doesn't reveal a personal weakness or an inability to cope.
• There is a high rate of success for treatment of depression.