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What is depression (抑郁症)? Some might think it's not a big deal, just a sad feeling, while some see it as a horrible disease. It's important to know it as it influences a lot of people.
Recently, the Ministry of Education said China would include examining for depression in students' regular health checks, to find and prevent mental (心理) problems.
It's normal to feel down or sad at times. But with depression, a sad or bad feeling lasts for weeks, months, or even longer because it is a mental illness.
Depression influences more than a person's mood. It can affect the way they act and how well they do in school or at work. It can influence their energy, sleep and eating, too.
If people are depressed, they lose interest in all kinds of things.
Most of all, depression influences how people think and feel about themselves. People going through depression often feel alone. It might seem like no one understands or cares.
They may feel bad about themselves or blame (责怪) themselves for having a hard time.
But depression is not a person's fault. It's also more common than most people think. About 280 million people around the world have depression, according to the World Health Organization.
Depression can start small. For teenagers, friends, family and school can have main emotional (情绪的) effects. But depression can build and get worse. In serious situations, it may lead to suicide (自杀).
However, don't be afraid of it. Depression can be treated with talk therapy (谈话疗法), medicine or both. If you are unhappy for more than two weeks and have some symptoms (症状) of depression, it is time to look for help from doctors or others.
You're not alone. You can try the following ways to feel better.
| ■ Talk to a trusted adult. such as a parent. teacher or school counselor (顾问), about how you've been feeling. | | ■ Stay active and exercise, even if it's just going for a walk. |
| ■ Try to keep a regular sleep schedule. |
| ■ Try to spend time with friends or family, even if you don't feel like you want to. | | ■ Eat healthy foods. |
| ■ Ask your doctor for professional help. |