Some people have a greater risk of depression, including those who:

	have a family history of anxiety or depression
	are anxious
	are alcoholics
	are drug addicts.

What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of major depression include having at least one of the two following symptoms most of the day every day for more than 2 weeks:

	feeling sad or blue (may include crying spells, anxiety, agitation, irritability)
	loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities.

In addition, major depression involves having at least four of the following symptoms:

	poor appetite and significant weight loss, or increased appetite and significant weight gain
	inability to sleep (insomnia), increase in time spent sleeping (hypersomnia), or difficulty sleeping soundly
	fatigue, loss of energy
	increased physical activity (agitation) and restlessness
	decreased sex drive
	feelings of self-reproach or inappropriate guilt
	difficulty in thinking clearly or concentrating
	memory difficulties
	thoughts of death or suicide or actual suicide plans or attempts.

Depressed people have difficulty in maintaining normal relationships with other people. As a result, problems with relating to others often develop or worsen.

Psychotherapy can provide support and help you feel less like you are out of control, a victim, or going crazy. One approach psychotherapists may use to treat depression is called cognitive therapy. This therapy usually lasts 12 to 20 weeks. During counseling sessions, the therapist can help you identify unrealistic views of yourself, the world, and the future. The therapy can help you recognize depressive thought processes and develop thought and behavior patterns that counteract depressive thought.

Antidepressant medicines may not relieve your symptoms until 3 to 6 weeks after you start taking them. After an antidepressant has treated the symptoms of depression, you should continue to take the medication for at least 6 to 9 months to prevent a recurrence of the depression. It is important to keep taking your medication at the prescribed dose, even after symptoms go away, and not to stop until you and your doctor have decided that it is time to do so. When it is time to stop taking the medication, it is usually necessary to reduce the dosage gradually, rather than suddenly stopping the medication, to avoid adverse effects. If you have recurrent depressions or chronic depression, you may need to continue to take antidepressant medication indefinitely.

There are many types of antidepressant medications, and they are not addictive.

Hospitalization is usually not necessary if treatment is started soon enough. Hospitalization might be advised if:

	The risk of suicide is high.
	Your home environment is so stressful or chaotic that it is making the depression worse.
	You are unable to take care of yourself at home.

In cases of severe or prolonged depression, particularly if medication has not worked, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT, also called shock therapy) may be a very effective part of the treatment. While ECT has been maligned in the movies, this treatment is more likely than drug therapy to be helpful and it is safer. ECT may be the treatment of choice for psychotic depression or those who are severely suicidal because it brings relief much more quickly.

You may experience some side effects from antidepressant medication, depending on the medication and dosage you are taking. However, most side effects are not severe or bothersome. Notify your doctor of any side effects so he or she can work with you to keep them to a minimum.

Certain medications such as reserpine, birth control pills, benzodiazepines, digitalis, and possibly beta-adrenergic blockers can add to the symptoms of depression. If you have been or are being treated for depression, it is important to check with your doctor before taking any new medications, either nonprescription drugs or drugs prescribed by other doctors.