This topic covers depression in adults. For information on depression in young people, see the topic Depression in Childhood and Adolescence. For information on depression following childbirth, see the topic Postpartum Depression.

　　本文探討的主要關於成年人的抑鬱症。若需查詢關於末成人的抑鬱症
，請查看“兒童和青年人的抑鬱症。產後抑鬱症請查看”產後抑鬱“。

　　What is depression?什麼是抑鬱症？

　　Depression is a mood disorder that causes you to feel sad or hopeless for an extended period of time. More than just a bout of the blues or temporary feelings of grief or low energy, depression can have a significant impact on your enjoyment of life, your work, your health, and the people you care about.

　　抑(yi)鬱(yu)是(shi)在(zai)一(yi)段(duan)時(shi)間(jian)內(nei)持(chi)續(xu)的(de)一(yi)種(zhong)精(jing)神(shen)絮(xu)亂(luan)，它(ta)讓(rang)人(ren)感(gan)覺(jiao)悲(bei)傷(shang)
，對(dui)生(sheng)活(huo)失(shi)去(qu)希(xi)望(wang)。不(bu)止(zhi)發(fa)作(zuo)一(yi)次(ci)的(de)悲(bei)傷(shang)心(xin)情(qing)，或(huo)沒(mei)有(you)精(jing)力(li)，抑(yi)鬱(yu)對(dui)人(ren)們(men)的(de)生(sheng)活(huo)
，工(gong)作(zuo)，健(jian)康(kang)
，甚(shen)至(zhi)對(dui)周(zhou)圍(wei)的(de)人(ren)們(men)都(dou)會(hui)產(chan)生(sheng)很(hen)大(da)的(de)影(ying)響(xiang)。

　　Depression affects people differently. Some feel down for extended periods of time; for others the feelings of depression come and go. If you have short episodes of mild depression, you may be able to continue to work and take care of daily activities. However, if you do not seek some form of treatment for your depression, you are at risk for getting more depressed or becoming physically ill. In severe cases, depression can cause people to become incapable of communicating, unable to do routine activities, or suicidal. In these cases, it is essential to seek medical attention.

　　yiyuduirenmendeyingxiangshibutongde。youxierenjingchangqingxushiluo
，eryouxierenzhishioueryouzhezhongqingxu。ruguonioueryouzheqingweideyiyu，kenengninengjixugongzuo，yingfurichanggongzuo。dan，ruguobuduinideyiyuxunqiuyixiezhiliao
，nikenengjiuhuibiandegengjiayiyu
，huoshengbingdefengxian。yanzhongyiyuhuidaozhirenwufazhengchangjiaoliu，bunengjinxingrichangdehuodong
，shenzhizisha。zaizhezhongqingkuangxia，xunqiuyaowuzhiliaojiufeichangzhongyao。

　　People with depression may be reluctant to seek help because they feel that it is a sign of personal weakness or a character flaw or that they should be able to pull out of it on their own. We now know that depression, like other medical conditions, has a chemical and biological basis. Treatment for depression is safe and usually effective even for severely depressed people.

　　huanyiyuderentongchangrenweitashigerenxinggeshangderuodian，huoshixinggeshangdequexian，tamenrenweinenggoutongguozishendenulixiaochu，congertamenbuyuanyixunqiubangzhu。womenzhidao，yiyuheqitadejibingyiyang，douyoushengwuhehuaxuejichu。zhiliaoshianquande，duiyuhuanyouyanzhongyiyuderen
，tatongchangshifeichangyouxiaode。

　　If you think you may have depression, take a short quiz to evaluate your symptoms:

　　如果你認為你可能有抑鬱的話，填寫一份簡短的測試問卷來分析你的症狀。

　　Are you depressed?你抑鬱嗎？

　　What causes depression?什麼會引起抑鬱？

　　Depression may be triggered by stressful life events, other illnesses, certain drugs or medications, or inherited traits. Although causes of depression are not entirely understood, we know it is linked to an imbalance in brain chemistry. Once the imbalance is corrected, symptoms of depression generally improve.

　　過guo高gao壓ya力li的de生sheng活huo事shi件jian
，其qi它ta疾ji病bing，一yi些xie藥yao物wu或huo治zhi療liao
，或huo遺yi傳chuan因yin素su等deng都dou有you有you可ke能neng引yin發fa抑yi鬱yu。雖sui然ran抑yi鬱yu的de起qi因yin不bu能neng完wan全quan搞gao清qing楚chu
，但dan我wo們men知zhi道dao它ta和he大da腦nao內nei某mou種zhong化hua學xue物wu質zhi的de失shi衡heng有you聯lian係xi。一yi旦dan這zhe種zhong失shi衡heng被bei糾jiu正zheng之zhi後hou，抑yi鬱yu就jiu會hui大da大da的de改gai善shan。

　　What are the symptoms?抑鬱有哪些症狀？

　　Depression is more than just the normal, temporary feelings of sadness and hopelessness associated with difficult life events. Common symptoms include:

　　抑鬱是一種和困難生活事件相關的，自然的
，臨時性的，傷心，失望的一種感受。一般的症狀包括：

• Depressed mood.
  情緒抑鬱。
• Inability to enjoy activities.
  不能享受運動。
• Problems concentrating.
  注意力無法集中。
• Poor memory.
  記憶力差。
• Difficulty making decisions.
  優柔寡斷
• Changes in eating habits.
  飲食習慣改變。
• Weight gain or weight loss.
  體重增加或減少。
• Changes in sleeping habits.
  睡眠習慣改變。
• Difficulty going to work or taking care of your daily responsibilities.
  無法正常地進行日常工作和生活。
• Feelings of guilt and hopelessness; wondering if life is worth living (common).
  有罪惡感，感覺沒有希望；懷疑生命存在的價值（普遍現象）
• Slowed thoughts and speech.
  思考緩慢，表達緩慢。
• Preoccupation with thoughts of death or suicide.
  常常想到死亡
  ，或自殺。
• Complaints that have no physical cause (somatic complaints) such as headache and stomachache.
  抱怨不存在的身體病痛，例如，頭痛，胃痛。

　　All of these symptoms can interfere with your quality of life. Even if you don't have major depression, if you have experienced a few of these symptoms for at least 2 weeks you may have a less severe form of depression that still requires treatment.

　　suoyoudezhexiebingzhengdouhuiyingxiangshenghuozhiliang。jishimeiyouzhexiezhuyaodezhengzhuang

，ruyouzheqizhongzhexiebufenxianxiangchixuchaoguoerzhoushijiande，kenengjiuhuanyouqingdudeyiyu
，rengranxuyaozhiliao。

　　How is it treated?如何治療？

　　Depression is usually treated successfully with professional counseling or antidepressant medication. Often a combination of the two is most effective. People with depression usually can be treated as outpatients, but in severe cases a period of hospitalization may be necessary.

　　通tong過guo專zhuan業ye的de開kai導dao或huo服fu用yong抗kang抑yi鬱yu藥yao物wu
，都dou可ke能neng成cheng功gong的de治zhi療liao抑yi鬱yu。通tong常chang將jiang二er者zhe結jie合he治zhi療liao效xiao果guo更geng佳jia。通tong常chang抑yi鬱yu患huan者zhe不bu需xu住zhu院yuan治zhi療liao，但dan情qing況kuang嚴yan重zhong的de，需xu要yao住zhu院yuan一yi段duan時shi間jian。

　　If you have mild or moderate depression, you may be diagnosed and treated by your family health professional and a therapist or psychologist. If you have severe depression or other psychological disorders or do not respond to treatment, a psychiatrist, a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health problems, may be helpful.

　　如ru果guo患huan有you輕qing微wei或huo中zhong度du的de抑yi鬱yu，可ke以yi通tong進jin家jia庭ting醫yi生sheng或huo臨lin床chuang醫yi師shi或huo心xin理li專zhuan家jia進jin行xing診zhen斷duan和he治zhi療liao。嚴yan重zhong的de抑yi鬱yu，或huo其qi它ta的de精jing神shen絮xu亂luan
，或huo治zhi療liao無wu效xiao的de，精jing神shen健jian康kang專zhuan業ye醫yi生sheng可ke能neng會hui提ti供gong幫bang助zhu。

　　Let your health professional know if you suspect that you have depression, because it is often overlooked. If you are diagnosed with depression, you and your health professional can decide on the best treatment. The earlier you are treated, the more quickly you will recover.

　　如(ru)果(guo)你(ni)懷(huai)疑(yi)自(zi)已(yi)有(you)抑(yi)鬱(yu)，一(yi)定(ding)要(yao)讓(rang)你(ni)的(de)健(jian)康(kang)醫(yi)生(sheng)知(zhi)道(dao)，因(yin)為(wei)它(ta)通(tong)常(chang)會(hui)被(bei)忽(hu)略(lve)。如(ru)果(guo)你(ni)被(bei)診(zhen)斷(duan)患(huan)有(you)抑(yi)鬱(yu)，一(yi)起(qi)和(he)你(ni)的(de)健(jian)康(kang)醫(yi)生(sheng)決(jue)定(ding)最(zui)好(hao)治(zhi)療(liao)方(fang)案(an)。越(yue)早(zao)治(zhi)療(liao)，越(yue)早(zao)恢(hui)複(fu)。

　　How common is depression?抑鬱普遍嗎

？

　　If you have symptoms of depression, you are not alone. In the United States, an estimated 15% of people will have depression at some point in life, and chances of becoming depressed are even higher for certain people. For example:

　　如果你有抑鬱的症狀的話
，你並不孤單。在美國，預計15%的人都有抑鬱，某些有患抑鬱的有可能性還要高些。例如：

　　Women experience depression twice as often as men, although men are more likely to commit suicide as a result of depression.女性患抑鬱的可能性是男性的兩倍
，雖然
，男性在患抑鬱之後比女性更易自殺。

　　Separated or divorced individuals, especially men, are more likely than married people to become depressed.

　　分手或離異的人
，特別是男性，比結婚的人更易患抑鬱。

　　People who have a serious illness are more likely to suffer from depression.

　　患有嚴重疾病的人更易患抑鬱。