1. Everyone has a bad day once in a while. Problems at work, arguments with family members, or even changes in the weather can all bring us down and leave us feeling unhappy for a day or two. But if this mood lasts for more than a few days, a person may be suffering from depression, and will need to seek the advice of a physician.

2. Depression is a mood disorder classified by its own peculiar symptoms. These include a pervasive feeling of sadness, disruption of sleep patterns including both insomnia and hypersomnia, disturbances in appetite and weight, listlessness, lack of interest (leading to withdrawal from friends and social events), diminished ability in memory and concentration, low self-esteem and feelings of guilt, and finally, thoughts of suicide－the most serious symptom of all.

3. The causes of depression are unique to each individual and very complex. Tendencies toward depression can run in families, pointing to a genetic link in many cases. The roots of a depressive episode may lie in one's childhood environment, or in a traumatic event in later life. It is generally believed, however, that neurochemical imbalances and disruptions in the brain are above all responsible for triggering depressive symptoms. The good news is that there are several effective treatments available to fight depression, and that most sufferers begin feeling better within several weeks of beginning therapy.

Before undergoing treatment for depression, a person must first meet certain criteria: He or she must exhibit five or more major symptoms almost daily for a minimum of two weeks, and at least one of these symptoms must be a marked lack of interest or pleasure in activities, or a depressed mood. If symptoms are evident and show no sign of decreasing, a doctor will decide how to treat the problem.

Several antidepressant drugs, including Prozac, work well in battling depression. The goal of drug therapy is to treat the illness and handle its symptoms so the afflicted person will feel well enough to resume a normal daily routine. Although antidepressants are much safer than their predecessors introduced in the late 1950s, about 30 percent of patients are immune to their effects. Even for those who are not, it usually takes two to four weeks before the symptoms begin subsiding.

Nonpharmacological treatments include psychotherapy and electroshock therapy. The purpose of psychotherapy is to reduce and treat symptoms through patients discussing their emotions and depression with a qualified professional. It may also be used to help both the sufferer and his or her family members learn how to cope with depression. Electroshock therapy, which consists of running an electric current through a patient while under anesthetic, is administered only to those victims who are suicidal and require immediate treatment, or to those with severe refractory depression.

1. 每個人都會偶爾的遇上倒霉的事。工作中的問題、家庭成員的爭執、甚至天氣的變化都能讓我們沮喪一陣子，難過一兩天。但是如果這種情緒持續了好些天，那么這個人就有可能是患了憂郁癥，需要向大夫求助。

2. 憂郁癥是情緒上的失調，可以根據其獨有的癥狀加以辨別。癥狀包括長時間的情緒低落、睡眠不規律（包括失眠及睡眠過度）、食欲不振及體重減輕、無精打采、缺乏興趣（導致疏遠朋友、回避社會活動）、記憶力衰退、無法集中注意力、缺乏自信和負罪感，最終則會出現自殺的念頭──這是憂郁癥最嚴重的癥狀。

3. 憂郁癥的肇因因人而異，而且十分復雜。憂郁癥的傾向會世代相傳，在許多情況下與基因有關。其根源可能是由于幼年環境，或是在晚年經歷了痛苦而難忘的事件。然而，尤其是神經化學的失衡和腦神經分裂被公認為引發憂郁癥的原因。好消息是現在已有數種有效的治療方法問世，而且大部分患者在最初數周的治療后即會有所好轉。

在接受憂郁癥的治療之前，病人首先必須符合一定的條件：至少連續在兩周內每日出現五種以上主要癥狀，并且至少其中一種明顯癥狀就是，表現為對各種活動缺乏興趣、興致，情緒低 落。如果癥狀明顯，且毫無改善跡象，醫生就會視情況治療。

好幾種抗憂郁的藥物， 如“百憂解”，對治療憂郁癥效果顯著。藥物治療的目標是針對疾病緩解癥狀，使受折磨的人能感覺舒適，重新正常生活。雖然現今抗憂郁的藥物比五十年代末推薦使用的更可靠，但對約百分之三十的患者還是沒有療效。即使是沒有抗藥性的患者，也得花上二至四星期，癥狀才會開始消退。

非藥物治療則包括心理療法及電療法。心理療法的目的是通過合格的專業心理醫生同患者探討其情緒及憂郁的問題來減輕、改善患者癥狀。同時這也能指導患者及其家人學 習如何對待憂郁癥。電療法是將電流通過在麻醉狀態下的患者，實施的對象僅限於有自殺之虞、需要立即治療者，或是嚴重到難以醫治的憂郁癥患者。