Can I Be Depressed But Not Sad?

Your Top 20 Depression Questions, Answered By Cleveland Clinic Experts (21 Photos)

By Cleveland Clinic/360-5.com on Jan 7, 2011 at 3:27PM

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Can I Be Depressed But Not Sad?

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Seventeen million Americans are affected by depression each year. Does this reflect an increase in the condition?



“I do think that depression is on the rise,” says Michael McKee, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic’s Department of Psychiatry and Psychology and author of Stress and Your Body, And What to Do About It. One major factor: Americans’ ever-increasing stress levels. “Chronic stress can be a trigger for a depressive episode,” he says. Just how stressed are we? In a recent survey done by the American Psychological Association, 44 percent of Americans said their stress levels had increased in the past five years. Topping women’s list of stressors: worries about money, the economy, job stability, family, household, parenting responsibilities and being overscheduled.

Learn more about wellness strategies for treating depression at Cleveland Clinic’s 360-5.com.

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