Depression Research Paper

People every day are diagnosed with mental and emotional illnesses that completely change their lives. Depression is one of the many illnesses that take its toll on an average person. Medical experts believe that depression causes more disability throughout the world than almost any other medical illness or disorder (World Book). Depression affects more Americans than cancer, AIDS, or coronary heart disease. About one in five Americans will develop a mood disorder, usually depression, at some point in his or her life (O. Hyde and Forsyth 7). In some cases chemicals that brain cells use to communicate are out of balance and causes depression (CQ Researcher). Many recognized with this sickness may not believe they can live a normal life. However a patient diagnosed with depression can lead a normal life by taking medication, different types of therapy, and gaining support from family and friends. “How did my sister fall through a hole in her life and into some other life below?”(Schumacher 3). Depression brings about feelings other than sadness that affects a patient each and every day. “‘I can’t describe it,’ Dora said. ‘I don’t know how’” (Schumacher 40). People dealing with this illness find it hard to explain the feeling. “It’s like being trapped and you feel completely stuck, it really effects how you think every day” (Anonymous). When one is depressed they feel miserable and lose interest in all activity. “All I wanted to do was sleep; I never wanted to go out and lost a lot of connection from my friends” (Anonymous). “‘A drowning person doesn’t rescue herself,’ I said… I pictured Dora Struggling and drowning. ‘Which is why it’s so important-for your sister and for everyone else-that she learn to swim’” (Schumacher 116). Depression is always described as being lost or being stuck in a black hole, it seems like there is no way out of it, but with a little help there is.
Doctors are now able to diagnose and treat depression with medications better than they