Depression can be a neurochemical disease causing major personal disability.  In fact, it is the number 2 cause of disability in the world.

It's as universal as hair on our heads:  No one wants to think of himself or herself – or to be thought of – as mentally ill.  When symptoms arise, we're likely to ignore them as long as possible.  And when we can't ignore them anymore, we'll attribute them to stress, middle age, and the weather – anything but a lapse in our mental health.

But increased familiarity with the issues surrounding mental health, plus a growing body of research, are dissolving the stigma historically attached to a diagnosis of depression.  In fact, these factors are helping to improve the knowledge about mental health among general practitioners, which means fewer cases are misdiagnosed.  That has expanded the pool of qualified and accredited medical experts who can properly treat depression.  With this greater level of clarity and "legitimacy," insurance companies are doing a better job of acknowledging depression as a treatable illness and acting accordingly.

Depression remains a commonly unrecognized health condition.  People, understandably, would rather avoid a diagnosis of mental illness.  Not every physician is ready to blame depression for mood swings, anxiety and other similar symptoms.  The mental health discipline – what it knows and how it addresses mental illnesses – is not as precise as, say, an ear, nose and throat specialist or a cancer specialist.  Insurance coverage of all aspects of treatment is not always readily available.  There is still some ground to cover before depression gains full "respectability" as a diagnosable and treatable disease.

Meanwhile, mental health experts say, there is substantial evidence that depression can have serious consequences for the sufferer, as well as the people in his or her circle of influence.  It isn't the same as a passing "blue mood."  It doesn't indicate some sort of weakness or "shortcoming" in the affected person.  It can't be willed or wished away – you don't simply "pull yourself together" and get on with life.  Without treatment, symptoms can go on for years.  Proper treatment, however, can help most people with depression.

The road to recovery starts with recognition and acceptance of the symptoms as potentially consistent with depression.  Those symptoms can include one or more of the following:

• persistent, sadness, anxiety or "empty" moods
• feelings of guilt, hopelessness, worthlessness or pessimism
• lost interest in once-pleasurable things – hobbies, sex, locales, etc.
• decreased energy or fatigue
• difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions
• trouble sleeping or changes in sleep patterns
• changes in appetite, diet or weight
• thoughts of death or suicide
• restlessness or irritability
• persistent physical symptoms – headaches, digestive disorders, chronic pain – that don't respond to routine treatment