Is “Depression” Real?

by sdashiell

Question by Anthony N: Is “Depression” Real?
I rarely watch television, but whenever I am “lucky” enough to I also manage to run into one or two commercials regarding depression and its alleged symptoms. Now, from what I believe, depression is just a state of sadness caused for whatever reason, but I looked at a dictionary definition and I found two related descriptions from Wiktionary:

“2 (psychology) in psychotherapy and psychiatry, a state of mind producing serious, long-term lowering of enjoyment of life or inability to visualize a happy future
3 (psychology) in psychotherapy and psychiatry, a period of unhappiness or low morale which lasts longer than several weeks and may include ideation of self-inflicted injury or suicide”

Now I am no doctor nor do I claim to have much medical or psychological experience, but why has depression become some sort of sickness? Are people just not able to be happy for whatever reason? Is this a case of technical definitions gone too far?

A direct answer is not necessary; any information is welcomed.

Best answer:

Answer by N I
IS ‘HAPPINESS’ REAL?

Answer by Mo Fayed
Clinical depression is a common disease which can have a number of causes. One of the most important is a biochemical deficiency in some substance normally produced by the body. There are good medications which can correct this problem in a number of cases. Untreated depression of this sort is dangerous, the patient could become very irrational and end up a danger to themselves and others.

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