Depression:

Depressive and manic depressive illnesses are the two major types of depressive illness, also known as affective disorders or mood disorders, because they primarily affect a person's mood. Different terms, respectively, include unipolar and bipolar disorder. You may have heard of other forms of depressive illness such as dysthymia, a type of chronic moderate depression, or cyclothymia, a form of manic depression in which the cycles (mood swings) are not quite as severe.

Major Depressive Disorder is characterized by one or more Major Depressive Episodes (i.e. at least two weeks of depressed mood or loss of interest accompanied by at least four additional symptoms of depression.)

It is estimated that over 17.4 million adults in the U.S. suffer from an affective disorder each year-which is one out of every seven people. If you are not affected now, chances are that at some point in your life, you yourself or someone you know will become affected. If you are a woman, you are twice as likely as a man to experience major depression while manic depression occurs equally among the sexes. Although these illnesses can occur at any age, many have their onset within the 25-44 age range.

Genetic, biochemical and environmental factors can each play a role in onset and progression. While we all experience occasional highs and lows, affective disorders are characterized by their extremes in intensity and duration. Even at their most intense, the symptoms are often mistaken for other medical problems or dismissed as a reflection of someone's personality, age, social influence or background.

Research indicates that only one-third of those with major depression will get proper treatment, and two-thirds of those with any kind of affective disorder who do receive treatment will be misdiagnosed. These statistics reflect the insidiousness of the illness and the importance of both public and physician education. A lag in diagnosis and treatment could prove deadly; people with severe, untreated depression have a suicide rate as high as 15 percent. In fact, the number one cause of suicide in the U.S. is untreated depression.

Don't be overwhelmed by these sobering statistics. Of all psychiatric illnesses, affective disorders are among the most responsive to treatment. If given proper care, approximately 80 percent of patients with major depression demonstrate significant improvement and lead productive lives. Although the treatment success rate is not as high for bipolar disorder, a substantial number experience a return to a higher quality of life.