Depression is a scary thing, both for the person suffering the illness and for the people that love that person. Depression never just affects one single person. Instead, it affects entire lives and entire families. And, when it leads to suicidal thoughts or attempted suicide, it can be even worse for everyone.

Most people suffer from depression at some point in their lives, even if it’s simply a mild case of the winter blues. For some people there is a simple fix, like spending time outside of home, and for others it seems like nothing can stop their melancholy feelings.

The Facts

The facts about this frightening illness include that women are twice as likely to suffer from depression than men, and they are three times more likely to attempt suicide. This may not seem like a surprising statistic, knowing that women often express their feelings far more than men, and tend to also be more emotional than their male counterparts.

Adults aren’t the only ones that suffer from depression, although you would think that children and teenagers would have far less to be depressed about. Often issues at school or at home can cause their depression. It is also believed that an imbalance of brain chemicals is part of what affects many people with depression, which is why certain pills are prescribed to combat it.

For both teens and adults, unchecked depression can lead to substance abuse, as well as suicide. It doesn’t matter how old, or young, you are, self medicating sometimes seems like the only option, and both street drugs, abused prescription drugs, and alcohol can lead to death. That’s why it is important to seek help, and talk to someone, whenever you are feeling overwhelmed with depression, or see the signs of it in someone you love.

The Signs Of Depression

The signs for depression in children and teens overlap those found in most adults. Some people can hide their depression better than others, but there are always some telltale signs. The thing is, many people just look at some of the signs as normal growing pains and miss the fact that something major is going on in their children.

For children, some of the signs of depression included a withdrawal from being social, random crying, they get angry over the smallest things, and they may even have trouble concentrating. These are only a few of them, but one of the main ones you might notice is that they quit doing the things they love, they spend less time with friends, and more time in their room. They probably don’t want to talk about anything with you either.

Withdrawing from things you enjoy and people you once paid more attention to are signs of depression for people of all ages and sexes. If you find that you and your spouse, or significant other, are getting in more fights than usual or spend less time talking than you used to, it could be a sign of depression. Women may tend to overeat (eat their feelings, as they say), while men may begin eating less.

There Is Help

The moment you notice the signs of depression in yourself, or someone you love, it is important to get them help. Start out by reaching out to them, then set up an appointment for them with their doctor. I general physician can prescribe medications that can help with depression, and refer you to a therapist that specializes in this type of mental issue.

There are plenty of alternative methods and therapies for fighting depression as well. It could be something as simple as learning to meditate and taking up yoga that finally help free you from the bonds of depression, but you should still speak to a doctor first. Ask them what therapies may be able to help you that don’t require medication.

Ketamine therapy is one such way, being used to treat both chronic pain and depression in a more natural and less invasive way. Talk therapies are the most common treatment, aside from medications. They include cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps you change bad habits in your life that may have been leading to your depression, including removing toxic things and people.

There is help, you just need to know the signs of depression and know when to get help. You also need to rely on and believe in that help for it to really heal your mind and soul.