Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home. Depression affects an estimated one in 15 adults (6.7%) in any given year with higher rates seen in the AI/AN population. Depression can occur at any time, but on average, first appears during the late teens to mid-20s. Women are more likely than men to experience depression.
