ABSTRACT
It is normal sometimes to be unhappy as a result of certain life events, such as bereavement of a close family member, and this kind of reaction is expected. It is also expected that the sad state will resolve itself after a reasonable period of time, allowing the individual concerned to return to their usual state of mind and to function normally. Depressive illness (also called affective disorder; affect = ‘mood’) occurs either when the depressed state has no apparent cause or reason or when the period of depression is prolonged beyond what is considered normal, with no signs of recovery. The depth of depression is important also. A depressive illness dominates the person’s life, committing them to an existence in misery with no end in sight. Suicide becomes an attractive way out of this despair, and many depressive patients succeed in killing themselves to end their suffering. Such patients need help to recover the purpose of living and, with treatment, many are returned successfully to a happier existence. Such an outcome is more likely now than it has ever been as a result of better understanding of what is happening in the brains of depressed patients and of the introduction of improved drug treatment. Depression has long been associated with other serious and long-term debilitating disorders, e.g. cancer, coronary artery disease, and chronic infections, and is often linked with the elderly (Hestad et al. 2009).
