If a case of depression does not go into remission by itself within a month, research indicates that, without treatment, it goes on for at least another six months (or longer) in three out of four cases. For many, depression can come and go for years and decades, and become a lifetime struggle. Leaving it…
High-functioning depression is a form of depression that occurs in the combination of certain personalities as well as symptoms. While major depressive disorder, the most common form of depression, is known to be debilitating and often causes a decline in workplace attendance and performance as well as legitimate disability, depression is more of a sliding…
One of the characteristics of depression is a struggle with staying motivated to do anything. Many people with depression struggle with tasks that others take for granted, including matters of personal hygiene and daily chores. Procrastination becomes harder to overcome, and inner thoughts of apathy echo alongside phrases like ‘what’s the point?’ Depression quickly turns…
The short answer is yes. In all likelihood, your drinking – no matter or big or small it might be – is making your depression worse. In the best-case scenario, it does nothing for you in the long-term and is likely to alienate you from utilizing effective forms of treatment. In the worst-case scenario, it’s…
When someone is diagnosed with major depressive disorder, there’s usually a 60 percent chance that their condition developed due to environmental factors, and a 40 percent chance that they developed due to genetic factors. People with direct relatives (parents/siblings) with depression are three times as likely to also struggle with depression than the rest of…
Suicide can be a very frightening topic to broach, and it’s not something anyone wants to discuss lightly. This is why it’s generally very important to take someone seriously when they begin to discuss suicide. Even jokes about suicide, if made frequently and specifically in reference to your friend wanting to attempt suicide, can be…
Anxiety and depression, unfortunately, often go hand in hand. Comorbidity between these two disorders is incredibly high, with as much as half of patients with depression also presenting with symptoms of anxiety. Furthermore, patients who struggle with both anxiety and depression tend to have a less optimistic prognosis as those with either disorder, and don’t…
Seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder, is marked by decreased mood and feelings of sadness specifically around certain periods of the year. It’s most common during winter time in temperate climates, when the available daylight per day is at its shortest, and nights last much longer. In many people, this causes a shift in the…