You can tell she’s feeling anxious. Or you’ve noticed that he has no energy and no appetite. And yet, when you ask, your loved one insists nothing is wrong. They may not recognize it—or perhaps they don’t want to—but they could be depressed.

The Benefits of Treatment
Many people don’t consider depression a serious health problem. But according to a recent study in the journal Lancet, it may be the world’s most disabling disease. Researchers found that depression impairs health much more than chronic physical conditions like asthma, diabetes, and arthritis.

Your loved one may think they can simply “get over it.” In fact, they’re unlikely to get better without help. Depression usually can be treated successfully with medicine, talk therapy, or a combination of these.

Symptoms of Depression
There’s more to depression than just feeling a little sad now and then. Health care professionals diagnose depression based on the presence of certain persistent symptoms.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, these symptoms include:

• Feeling sad, anxious, or “empty”
• Feeling hopeless or pessimistic
• Feeling guilty, worthless, or helpless
• Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
• Decreased energy or feeling fatigued
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
• Trouble sleeping, or sleeping too much
• Loss of appetite and/or weight loss, or overeating and weight gain
• Thoughts of death or suicide
• Physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain