What is Major Depression?
Major depression is disabling. It interferes with working, eating, sleeping, and studying. A major depressive episode can occur at least once in a person’s lifetime and may also re-occur frequently according to genetic predisposition.
A major depression may occur after the death of a loved one, a medical illness, or other type of life event such as a romantic breakup. Some people with major depression don’t feel as if life is worth living and often attempt to end their lives.
Typically, patients are treated with anti-depressant medication and may also receive psychotherapy or counseling. In some cases, hospitalization may be necessary as well as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which is a type of psychiatric treatment whereby seizures are electrically induced in anesthetized patients to produce a therapeutic effect.
I took my two sick kids with me to the chemist and walked to the counter to buy the morning after pill. I had a feeling the tone of the interaction might change, but I decided to give the pharmacist the benefit of the doubt.