What is Depression?

Depression is an illness that involves the whole person. It includes the person's body, mood, and thinking. It affects eating and sleeping habits feelings about self, and thoughts about everything. Fifteen percent of people who have a serious depression may eventually commit suicide. Don't let this happen to you or to someone you know. Confidential help is available through the North Carolina State Bar Lawyer Assistance FRIENDS Program. To get help, simply call  Don Carroll at 1-800-720-7257, Ed Ward at 1-877-627-3743, or Towanda Garner at 1-877-570-0991.

Facts About the Problem

The inability to experience pleasure (anhedonia) presents as the primary symptom of depression. The illness is all consuming, completely enveloping a person's life. The condition causes one to feel hopeless, helpless, sad, or down during most of the day, almost every day. Depressed people experience feelings of guilt and unworthiness. Sleeping patterns are adversely affected as are eating habits, often resulting in excessive weight loss or gain. People feel hopeless and often believe that they and everyone else would be better off if they were dead. They may be suicidal. Depression is not the result of weakness, moral defect, or deficiency of character. Rather, it is a chronic disease, the nature of which can be organic, psychological, or interpersonal.