**Important Disclaimer:
This page is for information purposes only. BVA does not recommend any specific therapy modality. BVA does not recommend any provider or course of treatment. This page is designed to provide information to help you understand depression, give you some tools for coping, and ideas to talk to your primary care physician about.**
This page is for information purposes only. BVA does not recommend any specific therapy modality. BVA does not recommend any provider or course of treatment. This page is designed to provide information to help you understand depression, give you some tools for coping, and ideas to talk to your primary care physician about.**
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How to help a friend with depression
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6 Differences Between Sadness & Depression
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8 Things People with Depression With Other People Understood
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What is Depression?
Depression is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home.
Symptoms must last at least two weeks for a diagnosis of depression. Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include:
Depression affects an estimated one in 15 adults (6.7%) in any given year. And one in six people (16.6%) will experience depression at some time in their life. Women are more likely than men to experience depression.
*Information from the American Psychiatric Association here*
Symptoms must last at least two weeks for a diagnosis of depression. Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include:
- Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
- Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
- Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
- Loss of energy or increased fatigue
- Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., hand-wringing or pacing) or slowed movements and speech (actions observable by others)
- Feeling worthless or guilty
- Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Depression affects an estimated one in 15 adults (6.7%) in any given year. And one in six people (16.6%) will experience depression at some time in their life. Women are more likely than men to experience depression.
*Information from the American Psychiatric Association here*
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What is Depression
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Signs of Teenage Depression
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Describing Depression to an Illustrator
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Understanding the Biology of Depression
**These videos reference each other. Watch the Neuroscience video before the Psychology video**
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Neuroscience of Depression
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Psychology of Depression
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Evidence-Based Treatments
Medications and psychotherapy are effective for most people with depression. Your primary care doctor or psychiatrist can prescribe medications to relieve symptoms. However, many people with depression also benefit from seeing a mental health professional. If you have severe depression, you may need a hospital stay, or you may need to participate in an outpatient treatment program until your symptoms improve.
The first step toward getting treatment is to talk to your primary care physician or to contact a local mental health provider for an assessment.
The first step toward getting treatment is to talk to your primary care physician or to contact a local mental health provider for an assessment.
When Depression Becomes More
Depression can sometimes lead to thoughts of suicide. See the Suicide Prevention page for information and resources.
Living with Depression
There are activities and coping skills that you can use to cope with depression. The activities and resources in our Wellness Section are a great place to start. Try out these activities, practice them and see which ones work for you.
Helpful Apps
There are plenty of free and paid apps out there for anxiety. Make sure you check out the Smartphone Apps page for some ideas to get you started.
Want to Learn More?
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These videos are in-depth looks at depressive disorders as well as biomedical treatments. Both are very detailed and assume you have background knowledge. Watch them for more detailed information on these topics.
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Depressive Disorders
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Biomedical Treatments
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