Depression is a condition that can heavily affect the lives of those who are inflicted with it, yet it goes largely untreated and undiagnosed. Feelings of sadness are a part of life, and occasional feelings of sadness during a time of loss or grief are common and natural. But when feelings of sadness, despair, dejection and inadequacy become a way of life for someone, they have the medical condition known as depression.
There are many different forms of depression, ranging from mild to severe, but generally speaking, when a person has depression, it is rooted in their psychological make up and can not always be easily detected. Depression can begin with a single grievous life event or an ongoing series of events. Depression can be very chemical in nature, meaning some people are naturally more prone to it through genetics or through their physical environment. Or it can be brought on entirely by life circumstances.
The medical definition of depression is when a person experiences disturbances to their life, appetite and sleep routines due to feelings of sadness, distraction, hopelessness and self loathing. It is reported that one in ten people living in the United States has depression, yet as many as eighty-percent have not received treatment for it. Depression is most likely to strike women in their forties, but cases of depression are found ranging between adolescence to senior years.