Depression is the leading cause of disability in the world. In the United States, close to ten percent of adults struggle with the disease. But because it's a mental illness, it can be a lot harder to understand than, say, high cholesterol.

One major source of confusion is, the difference between having depression and just feeling depress. There are times that we feel down and lonely. Getting a bad grade, losing a job, having an argument, or even a rainy day can bring on feeling of sadness.

Clinical depression is different, it is a medical disorder and it won't go away just because you wanted to. It lingers at least two consecutive weeks and interferes with your daily living. There are very effective treatment. Medications and therapy compliment each other to boost brain chemicals. In extreme cases, ECT or Electroconvulsive therapy, which is like a controlled seizure in a patient's brain, is also very helpful.

If you have a friend struggling with depression, encourage them to sick out some of the above options. You might even offer to help with specific tasks. Like looking up therapist in the near area, or making a list of questions to ask a doctor.

Watch the full informative video below.

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