Introduction Depression is a severe clinical illness. It is more than feeling "sad" for a few days. If you are one of the more than 19 million youth and adults in the US with depression, those feelings don't go away. They persist and interfere with your everyday life. Depression is an emotional disorder that causes a constant feeling of sadness and a loss of interest in doing different activities. Also called "major depressive disorder" or "clinical depression," it affects a person's feelings, thoughts, and behaviour and can cause a variety of physical and emotional problems. You may find it difficult to carry out everyday activities and sometimes feel that life is not worth living. More than just a fleeting sadness, depression is not a weakness and one cannot easily recover overnight. Depression may require long-term treatment. But don't be discouraged. Most people with depression feel better with medicine, psychotherapy, or both. Sympto...