What do you think this rise in numbers of people treated for depression means?
I believe the increase in numbers has occurred partly because more Americans are dispelling the notion that depression represents a weakness in a person's character. Instead, depression is being thought of, more correctly, as a biochemical disregulation within the brain itself. Therefore, people are more willing to acknowledge they have a depression. Along with this changing sentiment is a heightened awareness within the public of the signs of depression. These two factors together are likely to account for the rise in numbers of people treated for depression.
With these increasing numbers, it begs the question, what is depression and who is trained to make the diagnosis?
Psychiatrists have the most training in making the diagnosis but many physicians in other specialties are often able to recognize the existence of a depression from the change in a person's complaints and from a change in their style of interacting. Physicians generally have broad experience in identifying depression.
Classic severe depression is fairly easy to recognize. However, there exist milder forms and variant forms that are less easy to recognize. Further, it is not easy to be objective about yourself, and this can complicate being able to recognize when you have a depression.
Depression generally presents as a persistent (more than 2 weeks) decrease in enthusiasm, motivation, energy, concentration, and enjoyment. It also can lead to sleep or appetite disturbance and feelings of worthlessness or guilt. Additionally, depression generally causes an individual to experience more medical problems and to be more susceptible to physical illness, including death.
Depression is NOT normal feelings of sadness, which ebb and flow according to situational factors.
