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Help for the fourth most important cause of disability worldwide

	The most difficult thing can be admitting that you have depression and asking for help. But once you get help, you may soon start to feel better. ConsumerReportsHealth.org org can help you find treatments for depression that work well.
	Subscribe to ConsumerReportsHealth.org today and find out whether medications or talk therapy rates best for treating adult depression.

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with depression, you're not alone. Consumer Reports Health is here to help with the best research about depression, and expert evidence and advice about treatment options.

Key points for people with depression

• Depression is an illness that can be treated: You don't have to suffer.
• Depression is common, affecting about 15 percent of people at some point in their lives.
• If you think you might be depressed, it's important to talk to a health professional who can make a diagnosis and offer effective treatment.
• Antidepressant medications and psychotherapy are effective in treating depression.
• It can take as long as six weeks for antidepressants to make you feel better, so it is important not to stop taking them too soon.

Depression is a major cause of disability worldwide, in part because people live so long with it, often without adequate treatment. Depression is a disorder of the brain. Doctors and researchers have discovered that personal experience clearly plays a role in depression, but that something physical is at work here, too. In some families, depression seems to repeat, generation after generation, suggesting it's a trait carried by certain genes.

Treatments for depression vary according to the severity of symptoms. We encourage you to read our entire condition report and to consult with your doctor to learn more about depression. As a Consumer Reports Health subscriber, you’ll have access to our expert research and recommendations, and you’ll be more confident and knowledgeable about which treatments are best for you.