Learn the difference between feeling depressed and having depression

Listen to this short video (4 minutes) that provides a comprehensive overview of clinical depression.

As noted in this narration, there is a difference between feeling depressed and having depression. Approximately 10% of the US population suffer from depression. Most people do not talk about it; it can take up to 10 years for someone with depression to ask for help.

Depression affects the brain as well, shrinking the frontal cortex and the hippocampus. These organs regulate attention, memory, and motivation.

If you have never suffered from clinical depression, do not share advice on how “to get rid of it”. It is equivalent to asking someone to fix their broken bones with their will. Depression is a disease.

For someone who suffers from depression, even simple tasks like making a phone call or planning a meeting or a doctor’s visit appear insurmountable. Laziness does not cause this limitation. You can help them by finding therapists in their neighborhood.

Learn more about depression with this TedEx presentation by Helen M. Farrell, M.D. Dr. Farrell is an award-winning Harvard psychiatrist, keynote speaker, and writer. She is a staff psychiatrist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and an Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

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Health education brought to you by WholeCare.