Depression

Everyone feels sad or "blue" every now and then, that is just part of life. But when those feelings persist for a longer period of time it may be a sign of depression. Depression can appear at any age, and is the major cause of suicide in this country.

Symptoms:
You have had an episode of depression lasting at least two weeks with at least five of the following symptoms:

  1. You are depressed, sad, blue, and tearful.
  2. You have lost interest or pleasure in things you previously liked to do.
  3. Your appetite is much less or much greater than usual and you have lost gained weight.
  4. You have a lot of trouble sleeping or sleep too much.
  5. You are so agitated, restless or slowed down that others have begun to notice.
  6. You are tired and have no energy.
  7. You feel worthless or excessively guilty about things you have done or not done.
  8. You have trouble concentrating, thinking clearly, or making decisions.
  9. You feel you would be better off dead or have thoughts about killing yourself.
  • These symptoms are severe enough to upset your daily routine, or to seriously impair your work, or to interfere with your relationships.
  • The depression does not have a specific cause like alcohol, drugs, medication side effects, or physical illness.
  • Your depression is not just a normal reaction to the death of a loved one.

Resources

Center for Mental Health Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Rm 12-105 Parklawn Building
Rockville, MD 20857
(301) 443-8956
URL: http://www.samhsa.gov/

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Office of Communications
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
(301) 443-4513
Toll Free (866) 615-NIMH (6464)
TTY (301) 443-8431
Email: nimhinfo@nih.gov
URL: http://www.nimh.nih.gov

American Psychiatric Association (APA)
1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1825
Arlington, VA 22209-3901
(703) 907-7300
URL: http://www.psych.org/index.cfm

American Psychological Association (APA)
750 1st Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
(202) 336-5510
Toll Free (800) 374-2721
URL: http://www.apa.org

Depression After Delivery, Inc. (DAD)
91 East Somerset Street
Raritan, NJ 08869
Toll Free (800) 944-4773
URL: http://www.depressionafterdelivery.com

Depression and Related Affective Disorders Association (DRADA)
2330 West Joppa Road, Suite 100
Lutherville, MD 21093
(410) 583-2919
Email: drada@jhmi.edu
URL: http://www.drada.org/

National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD)
60 Cutter Mill Road, Suite 404
Great Neck, NY 11021
(516) 829-0091
Toll Free (800) 829-8289
Email: info@narsad.org
URL: http://www.narsad.org

National Foundation for Depressive Illness, Inc. (NAFDI)
PO Box 2257
New York, NY 10116
Toll Free (800) 239-1265
URL: http://www.depression.org

Depressed Teens
www.depressedteens.org

National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association (NDMDA)
(800) 826-3632 Toll Free
www.ndmda.org

Depression Awareness Recognition & Treatment (D/ART)
5600 Fishers Lane, Room 14C-03
Parklawn Building
Rockville, MD 20857
(301) 443-4140
www.nimh.nih.gov/dart

National Mental Health Association (NMHA)
2001 N. Beauregard Street, 12th Floor
Alexandria, VA 22311
(703) 684-7722
(800) 969-NMHA (6642) Mental Health Resource Center
(800) 433-5959 TTY
(800) SUICIDE (784-2433) National Hopeline Network - 24 hour crisis center
www.nmha.org

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
Colonial Place Three
2107 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22201-3042
(703) 524-7600
(703) 516-7227 TDD
www.nami.org

Depression and Bi-Polar Support Alliance
730 N. Franklin Street, Suite 501
Chicago, IL 60610-7224
(312) 642-0049
(800) 826-3632
www.dbsalliance.org