Abstract
Depressed mood is a common part of normal as well as abnormal human experience. This ubiquity leads many to consider depressive illness as a benign, “functional” condition. As seen in t overview, such notions should be put to rest. We stress that depression is a disabling and potentially progressive condition, best conceptualized as an illness (or set of illnesses) affecting many aspects of brain function. Fortunately, depression is treatable, and there is clear evidence that early intervention and sustained treatment can ameliorate symptoms, reduce disability and vastly improve quality of life.
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© 2006 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ
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Richard, I.H., Lyness, J.M. (2006). An Overview of Depression. In: Jests, D.V., Friedman, J.H. (eds) Psychiatry for Neurologists. Current Clinical Neurology. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-960-8_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-960-8_4
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