Depression is a medical condition.  Depression is comprised of many stages of illness.  They can range from mild depression, Bi-polar disorders or manic depression, all the way up to major depression.  Depression is no doubt considered a disease.  Although it is a mental illness it is no different than heart disease or lung disease.  It strikes a critical organ, the brain.  You aren’t somehow less just because you have depression. You aren’t crazy if you have it.  Just like other illnesses it can be treated. 

Depression starts out as a relatively unseen illness.  Sadness is part of life.  When things don’t go our way we get down in the dumps.  Sadness does not equal depression.  Depression isn’t short term.  Depression is an illness that will stay with you on a consistent basis.  If the depressed mood seems to linger week after week and begins to affect your daily life than that is a sure sign of depression .  Radical mood swings are a sure sign of depression.  If you can’t sleep or you eat too little or too much, that means depression. 

Medical depression has complex causes.  A variety of possibilities and causes have to be examined.  Stress is a major factor in depression.  We experience stress each day.  Stress is part of personal interaction.  Making ends meet when the bills are more than the income creates stress.  Raising children is stressful and so can result in medical depression.  Emotional suffering can bring on medical depression from stress.  Chemical, environmental and even genetic issues further complicate the situation.

Medical depression can be cured.  17 million people nation wide are affected with medical depression yearly.  Only 1/3 will look for help.  A cure isn’t possible without diagnosis.  Talk therapy as well as medications and natural herbs can treat it.  There are also many different support groups that allow you to associate with those who suffer and feel the same as you do.  You do not have to get through medical depression alone.  Such a disease isn’t self healing.  Medical professionals should be consulted if you or someone you know shows symptoms of medical depression.

Get more information on depression and treatment here Manic Depression