Hundreds of studies have been conducted over the last 25 years on depression and recovery. Depression, not to be confused with sadness, is a condition that is lasting and almost paralyzing to those afflicted. The National Institute of Mental Health website notes that sadness is something everyone experiences as a normal emotion that passes with time. Depression, on the other hand, is an illness that you cannot simply “snap out of.” It is persistent and can interfere with daily life. Medical research shows that clinical depression is a much more serious issue that widely vary in severity and type from person to person. Additionally, studies show that mental health problems are very common. For example, in 2014 one in 25 Americans were living with a serious mental illness, such as bipolar disorder or major depression.
