Facts About Depression

* Depression affects about 15 million American adults each year.

* Depression affects women nearly twice as often as men.

* As many as one out of every eight women will develop depression in her lifetime.

* Anyone can develop depression, regardless of their age, race or social class.

* Many people with depression do not even realize that they are depressed and initially see their primary care doctor to treat what they believe is a physical disorder.

* Depression cannot be prevented. However, more than 80 percent of people who have it can be treated successfully with psychotherapy, medical therapy or a combination of both.

* Although a depressive episode can last from a few weeks to many years, most episodes last between six and nine months.

* Antidepressant medications include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).

* The risk of depression may be as high as 25 percent in first-degree relatives (parents, children and siblings) of patients with a history of depression.

* About one-third of depressed individuals also suffer from some form of substance abuse or dependence, although for some, the depression is a result of the substance abuse problem.

* As many as 15 percent of patients with depression eventually commit suicide.

* About 5 to 10 percent of people who have had a depressive episode actually have bipolar disorder and eventually have a manic episode (elevated mood and excessive energy and optimism). If their depression occurs before a manic episode, they may be misdiagnosed as depressed.

* Depression is commonly associated with other conditions, including eating disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and borderline personality disorder.

* Depression is one of the leading causes of disability in the United States and internationally.