ABSTRACT
The severity of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) may vary from person to person, with symptoms classified as mild, moderate, or severe. MDD may also vary in how often a person suffers the illness. In some individuals, MDD recurs in predictable cycles, such as in Seasonal Affective Disorder, in which symptoms of depression emerge during the fall and winter months. Women are roughly twice as likely to be diagnosed with MDD as men, though it is unclear if women actually suffer the illness more often or are simply more willing to seek diagnosis and treatment. Medical science has long tried to understand the nature and causes of MDD. There is no basis to suggest that a person with MDD must be treated with medications. There is a variety of effective treatments–medication, psychotherapy, exercise, meditation–and each form of therapy can be effective for different people and for different severities of illness.
