Today, depression, the "common cold of mental illnesses," affects an alarming number of people. Estimates project that about 91/2 percent of the general population suffers from a depression disorder, equating to an astonishing 18.8 million Americans. In addition, one out of twenty people will suffer from major depressive disorder this year-a general loss of interest and energy, and an inability to experience pleasure (National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 2001). The costs of depression are astounding, costing our country 43 billion dollars annually in medical expenses, missed workdays, and premature death-usually suicidal in nature (American Psychiatric Association (APA), 1998). After vi

In addition to the previously discussed diagnosing symptoms, there are some other "key-indicators" to be vigilant of if they are noticed concurrently with any of the diagnosing criteria-withdrawal, violence, pessimism, memory loss, slumped posture, lackadaisical facial expression, inability to concentrate, substance abuse/dependency, appearance and hygiene neglect, and a continual want/need to leave.

· Genetic causes-depression can run in families. It can hereditarily be passed on, increasing the vulnerability of an individual to become depressed. For example, if one twin has depression, the other twin has a 70 percent chance of being depressed at some point in their life (APA, 1998)

There are many different treatments that can be used to handle depression, including medications, therapy, and hospitalization. Prescription antidepressant medication is the most commonly used treatment for depression. Symptoms improve in roughly 80 to 90 percent of patients who take antidepressants (APA, 1998). Most antidepressants are equally effective in treating depression, however, people respond differently to the varying types of antidepressants-monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), and tricyclic antidepressants (TCA)-so side effects and cost usually dictate the medication used. Using antidepressants elevates the sense of mood and restores a sense of well-being, improving sleep and appetite, reducing anxiety, sharpening concentration, and restoring energy levels by increasing the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters-serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.

· Weight loss/gain-when depressed people lose the energy it takes to accomplish basic tasks, important needs such as eating are compromised. Many depressed people lose their appetite, resulting in erratic eating habits, missed meals, and weight loss. In contrast, some people with depression have an increased appetite and gain weight.

· Men may be less willing to acknowledge their emotional symptoms and more apt to suppress their depression through the use of alcohol or other substances. In such cases depression can be "masked," or viewed only as alcohol or drug dependency/abuse rather than as clinical depression.

· Suicidal ideation-depression can be a fatal disease. Recurrent thoughts of death, especially suicide, plague depression sufferers. Depression is a factor in 70 percent of all suicides (Coon, 2001).

The primary symptoms of depression are loss of interest, loss of energy, and an inability to experience pleasure. Sadness associated with depression is often described as inescapable, making it more painful than normal sadness, which the person may or may not be able to remember having. Depression can be so overwhelming that a person cannot recognize the symptoms. Many symptoms are revealed only when treatment begins. There are many symptoms that are included in the diagnosis of depression. They are:

As a last resort, usually after therapy and medications have failed, another form

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