Dealing with depression can be extremely difficult. For some people, they are unaware that they are suffering from depression. Many people believe they do not have any problems because they simply don’t want to make a big deal out of something they feel isn’t anything to worry about. The problem is, many of those individuals, who pretend not to acknowledge their issues, continue to experience depression for long periods of time. In some instances, the depression never subsides because of denial and lack of treatment and things simply become worse.

Depression is something that needs to be taken very seriously. It can be very enigmatic and impossible to deal with in some cases without professional help and guidance. 17.5 million Americans are currently suffering from some form of depression. An estimated two thirds of those afflicted will not seek any form of treatment. However, out of the individuals who do seek help, an estimated 80% of them have improved their lives significantly.

These numbers come from the Washington School of Medicine and illustrate how important seeking assistance truly is. Since depression isn’t something that shows obvious outward physical effects, other than weight loss, which can be attributed to many things, depression isn’t easy to diagnose unless the patient is ready to deal with it. The patient will have to discuss issues and be as candid as possible with the doctor in order to expose how they truly are feeling. This can be difficult, intimidating and even humiliating if the patient is unprepared to deal with depression. It’s vital to understand that depression is nothing to be ashamed of. It is very common and happens to people in all walks of life.

Depression exists in many forms. It is difficult to self diagnose. Women experience depression twice as often as men do. For anyone affected, depression can significantly lower the quality of life for any person who has experienced it. The only true and tested way to get better is to seek professional help. If you choose to fight depression on your own, you may be able to reduce it at times, but ultimately, the odds that you will completely defeat it are very low. If you suffer from depression, take solace in the fact that it is treatable and there is a high success rate of dealing with it effectively. Don’t be ashamed or afraid to face depression. You can greatly improve the quality of your life if you tackle it head on.