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Age Wise
It’s Time to Really Talk About Depression
Several strategies can help prevent a downward spiral — they all start with reaching out
This is the second in a four-part series on preventing depression, a serious and growing mental disorder that can strike at any age and, if untreated, persist and worsen.
Rainy days often get me down. Even a little overcast can put me into a funk. Sometimes I just get moody for no good reason. That’s all normal. But when feelings of sadness persist day after day, any of us — me, you, a family member, or a friend — runs the risk of plunging into debilitating depression. There is no immunity. There are, however, effective prevention strategies.
“There is ample evidence that depression can be prevented,” says Tracy Gladstone, PhD, a senior research scientist at the Wellesley Centers for Women. “People who participate in prevention programs have about a 20% decrease in the incidence of depression, relative to similar people who get a control (nonactive) intervention.”
You don’t have to wait for depression to derail your life before seeking help. In fact, the sooner you reach out, the better, several experts tell me.
