When left untreated to grow more intense and severe, depression may become a serious health condition. It can cause the affected person to suffer and that leads to poor function at work, at school and in their personal lives. At its worst, depression can lead to suicide and can affect people at any age.

Although there are known, effective treatments for depression, fewer than half of those affected in the world (in many countries, fewer than 10%) receive such treatments. Barriers to effective care include a lack of resources, lack of trained health-care providers, and social stigma associated with mental disorders. In Nigeria especially, many cases of depression go unreported and untreated and this has contributed to the rapid rise in suicide rates over the last few years. Due to this, more awareness must be shed on depression, the symptoms and the treatment options available.

Another barrier to proper care is the symptoms of depression going unrecognised and therefore the condition can not be properly diagnosed. In all countries, people who are depressed are often not correctly diagnosed and those who do not even have depression are often misdiagnosed. Due to the wise range of symptoms, it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what is going on but there are checklists one can use to get a better idea of their mental state and ascertain whether or not they need to seek help from a professional.

A depressive disorder is a whole-body illness, involving the body, mood, and thoughts, and affects the way a person eats and sleeps, feels about himself or herself, and thinks about things. It is not the same as being unhappy or in a blue mood. Nor is it a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed or wished away. People with a depressive illness cannot merely "pull themselves together" and get better.

Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who suffer from depression. During any one year period, nearly 21 million American adults suffer from depressive illness. Yet, treatment can alleviate symptoms in most cases.

What's the difference between a bad case of the blues and the painful mental disorder known as depression? According to the experts, impaired functioning is usually a clear-cut indication of a major depression.

Here's a quick checklist of depression symptoms. If the list sounds familiar, you may want to see a counselor or a psychiatrist.

If you recognise multiple of these symptoms in yourself or in a loved one, it's time to seek help before the disorder worsens. Depression, even the most severe cases, can be treated. The earlier that treatment can begin, the more effective it is. Depression is usually treated with medications, psychotherapy or a combination of both.

Make sure you get in touch with your healthcare professional and get help today.