Depression is an illness that causes a person to feel sad and hopeless for much of the time. It is different from normal feelings of sadness, grief, or low energy.

People who are depressed may also:

• Think and speak more slowly than normal.
• Have trouble concentrating, remembering, and making decisions.
• Have changes in their eating and sleeping habits. Lose interest in things they once enjoyed.
• Be preoccupied with death and/or suicide.
• Depression affects men and women of all ages and has often been shown to run in families. A person can have one or many episodes of depression in a lifetime. Each episode of depression makes a person more likely to have another episode of depression.

Most people who are depressed get better with medication and counseling. People with suicidal tendencies may need hospitalization.

The INTEGRIS Corporate Assistance Program offers this Depression Screening so you may come to understand if you are suffering from depression. If you answer yes to five or more of the questions below, and the symptoms have persisted for two weeks or longer or are interfering with work or family life, you may be suffering from depression.

For a complete and accurate diagnosis, contact your physician, a mental health professional or your employee assistance program.