Defining the problem

Depression is characterized by extended periods of feeling sad or empty. Nothing is enjoyable and physical activity declines.

DEPRRESION

Emotions clearly play a part in the problem.

Another factor in depressive illness is stress.

Certain sections of society Women are twice as likely to become depressed as men. boys and girls have the same level of risk until age 12 The risk for girls doubles through adolescence and remains consistently higher until after menopause.

Who gets depressed

Depression also tends to run in families.

negative early childhood experiences, that most depression is treatable. establish whether the symptoms have developed from a mood disorder or from a physical cause. The individual and his or her family need to take very personal responsibility and ownership of the problem

Diagnosis and treatment

Mind-bending science

getting help and keeping up the fight

Research on the brain has revealed that brain function is an important factor in both the cause and the treatment of depressive illnesses. The result of this breakthrough in brain research is that instead of trying to explain and treat depression from a single point of reference

Lifestyle choices

A brain that is damaged by early-life trauma, chronic stress or even genetics has the power to heal that damage the current research indicates that depression is increasing from one generation to another and is being diagnosed at a younger age on average.

Why not prevention?

the brain can be retrained in the way it thinks, couldnt it be trained to think properly from early childhood? The reams of depression-related material available today is on treatment, including both medication and therapy. the nurturing and love a child experiences within a structured family.