Depression is a complex matter. In recent years, with burgeoning research progress, we are finding out that depression is much more common than many of us thought. At least 15% (and likely more) of women take an antidepressant during their lifetime. Depression is much more common in women than in men, but the reason for this female predominance is unclear.

Besides the fact that woman suffer from depression more often than do men, women often think they can "work through" a depression on their own. They may misunderstand the low risk associated with medication treatment of depression, or else they believe that because they are intelligent hard-working people a counselor or psychologist will be of no help. These mistaken beliefs are, unfortunately, common. Medications for depression may sometimes have annoying side effects, such as agitation, insomnia, or drowsiness, but serious reactions are extremely unusual. Women with a true depression are suffering. Such bothersome, non-life threatening side effects, which may lessen soon anyway, are likely to be much more tolerable than untreated depression for many women. Time and again, studies have shown that either counseling or medication therapy, or optimally both together, are extremely effective in safely relieving depression in both women and men.

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symptoms, teenage depression, postpartum depression, depression test, signs, types, bipolar depression, suicide  


What is a depressive disorder?

Depressive disorders have been with man since the beginning of recorded history. In the Bible, King David, as well as Job, suffered from this affliction. Hippocrates referred to depression as melancholia, which literally means black bile. Black bile, along with blood, phlegm, and yellow bile were the four humors (fluids) that accounted for the basic medical physiology of that time. Depression has been portrayed in literature and the arts for hundreds of years, but what do we mean today when we refer to a depressive disorder? In the 19th century, depression was seen as an inherited weakness of temperament. In the first half of the 20th century, Freud linked the development (pathogenesis) of depression to guilt and conflict. John Cheever, the author and a modern sufferer of depressive disorder, wrote of conflict and experiences with his parents as influencing his development of depression.

In the 1950s and 60s, depression was divided into two types, endogenous and neurotic. Endogenous means that the depression comes from within the body, perhaps of genetic origin, or comes out of nowhere. Neurotic or reactive depression has a clear environmental precipitating factor, such as the death of a spouse, or other significant loss, such as the loss of a job. In the 1970s and 80s, the focus of attention shifted from the cause of depression to its effects on the afflicted people. That is to say, whatever the cause in a particular case, what are the symptoms and impaired functions that experts can agree make up a depressive disorder? Although there is some argument even today (as in all branches of medicines), most experts agree that:

A depressive disorder is a syndrome (group of symptoms) that reflects a sad mood exceeding normal sadness or grief. More specifically, the sadness of depression is characterized by a greater intensity and duration and by more severe symptoms and functional disabilities than is normal.


Depression symptoms are characterized not only by negative thoughts, moods, and behaviors, but also by specific changes in bodily functions (for example, irregular eating, sleeping, crying spells, and decreased libido). The functional changes of clinical depression are often called neurovegetative signs. This means that the nervous system changes in the brain cause many physical that result in diminished activity and participation.


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I think some of us know of or are depressed.

How we choose to deal with it is up to us.


Depression is linked to farmers in this curent climate of severe drought and financial hardships-and is spread over much of society as we know it. Your neighbor could be depressed and you may not even know it.


It certainly is linked to the pressures of living in the 20th century and caused by many demands on our time .

Our children wanting more than we can give-teenagers and the problems of negotiating that minefield.

Where do you start? More often than not teenagers suffer some degree of depression as well.

mantra wrote on Sep 30^th, 2007 at 7:47pm:


Yes they do Mantra and this can come in form of abject hopelessness and sucide in its most severe form. They abuse alcohol and drugs much the same as they do in the city.

Out here in our cemetary there is a disproportionate amount of young  competent men who didnt believe they were worth too much.

Its so sad and very tragic. Society demands too much from them and the Government is making it even harder to get a job and keep it- to be valued as a worthwhile and useful member of society.

Goverments have a vitally important role to play and they let us down badly.

more soon.

Sprintcyclist wrote on Sep 30^th, 2007 at 9:00pm:



Exercise is great for depression I agree. So is talking and support if you can find it. I find talking helps when Im down or struggling.

Exercise is so healthy for all aspects of the human body.

mantra wrote on Oct 1^st, 2007 at 8:08am:



I agree mantra- BLOODY HOWARD!!!!

I doubt that IQ would know what the word depression means Oceans - but it is interesting that the use of anti-depressants has increased by 400% in the last decade in Australia. 

Coincidence or not?

mantra and oceans,

I think the antidepressants aim to "fix" the symptoms. The cause is untouched, unknown, unexplored.
depression has risen since schools have stopped daily prayers and daily singing of the national anthem.

depression is linked to a lack of spirituality, a lack of base. it is a spiritual attack


talking helps women more than men. we are more "action" based.

Sprintcyclist wrote on Oct 1^st, 2007 at 12:40pm:



Yes I agree- antidepressants help in the short term. To get to the bottom of a problem takes a thorough analysis of the causes and taking steps to eliminate or understand what they are at least.

I know Oceans - she's patronising and I appreciate you saying something.  If it gets too annoying - I'll just go somewhere else for a while, but I think she's filed her fangs a bit and is making an effort to be less objectionable.   

Although maybe I'm just getting a thicker skin!