7 Myths and Facts About Depression

When a term like depression enters everyday language, it can become hard to separate fact from fiction. Being temporarily depressed about something is a far cry from having depression, and we want to highlight these differences.

Depression affects hundreds of millions of people around the globe, yet despite this prevalence, there’s a lot of misinformation floating around.

To shed some much-needed light on this serious mental health issue, the team here at Infinity Care takes a deeper dive into depression by presenting some important facts and debunking some common myths. 

1. Myth: Depression is just feeling really sad

We all feel sadness in life and often refer to it as feeling depressed. True depression extends far beyond simple sadness, though sadness is often at the heart of the issue. The sadness that comes with depression is overwhelming and all-consuming and is also often accompanied by:

• Feeling hopeless
• Feeling worthless
• Feelings of guilt
• Losing interest in life
• Being unable to concentrate
• Having changes in sleep and weight
• Thinking about suicide

Depression can even have physical components, as many people report headaches and body aches.

2. Myth: All depression is the same

There are many different types of depression, which is a catchall term for mood regulation issues. The most common type of depression is major depressive disorder, but there are other types, including:

• Postpartum depression
• Persistent depressive disorder
• Seasonal affective disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Premenstrual depressive disorder

Each of these types of depression has its own unique characteristics.

3. Fact: Depression is very common

As we stated in the beginning, depression affects hundreds of millions of people around the world. Here in the United States, depression is not only common, it’s reaching all-time highs. A poll in 2023 found that 29% of adults report depression at some point in their lives, which is an increase of almost 10% over 2015.

4. Myth: Depression doesn’t affect kids

Depression isn’t confined to adults — it’s also common among adolescents. In the US, about 5 million teens between the ages of 12 and 17 have had at least one depressive episode. To give you an idea about how alarming this stat is, 5 million represents more than 20% of this population segment.

5. Fact: Depression affects more women than men

There is a sizable gender disparity when it comes to depression — the World Health Organization reports that depression is 50% more common in women than in men.

6. Fact: Depression is linked to substance use disorders

There’s a two-way street between depression and substance use disorders (SUDs). In one, using drugs or alcohol can lead to chemical changes in your brain that lead to depression. 

Going in the other direction, many people with depression attempt to self-medicate through substances, which explains why 25% of people with major depressive disorder also have an SUD.

7. Fact: There are effective solutions for depression

This last fact is an important one — there are effective treatments to help you or a loved one break free from depression, and we offer them here. 

In most cases, success comes with a combination of medications, such as antidepressants, alongside psychotherapy. We also offer intensive outpatient programs that can help prevent you from spiraling into your depression.

For educated and compassionate help for depression, we invite you to contact our office in Louisville, Kentucky, to set up an appointment.