Depression — Far Beyond Feeling Sad

The rates of depression in the United States are worrisome if you consider that the percentage of adults with depression exceeded 18% in 2024 and 2025, and affects nearly 48 million American adults. 

And the numbers are even more worrisome among younger demographics, as depression is running rampant among adolescents and young adults — depression rates have doubled in less than 10 years for people under the age of 30 and now affect more than a quarter of this group.

Given the enormity of this common mental health issue, the team of healthcare experts at Michigan Avenue Primary Care is shining the spotlight on depression in the hopes that we can get more of our patients the help they need and deserve.

Depression versus sadness

The first step in increasing awareness around depression is to make sure that we understand the difference between being sad and being clinically depressed.

Being sad is part of life, and everyone encounters sadness at some point. Often, the sadness is fleeting and quickly replaced by something happy, but it can also linger, such as when you’re grieving a loved one. Even if the sadness lingers, it doesn’t necessarily cross over into depression.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, depression (or major depressive disorder) is a “Serious mental disorder that negatively affects how you feel, think, act, and perceive the world.”

Symptoms of depression include:

• Pervasive sadness
• Feeling hopeless and/or worthless
• Feelings of guilt
• A loss of interest in things you once enjoyed
• Isolating
• Sleep issues
• Changes in appetite
• Loss of libido
• Decreased energy
• Difficulty with concentration and memory
• Suicidal thoughts

Depression can even lead to physical symptoms, such as body aches and headaches.

To qualify as major depressive disorder, a person typically experiences at least four or five of these symptoms, around the clock, for at least two weeks. And these symptoms often interfere with your ability to perform at work, at school, and at home.

There is hope with depression

There’s another mental health statistic that concerns us — 60% of people with depression don’t seek treatment thanks to false perceptions.

Our goal in presenting this information is to help you recognize depression in yourself or in a loved one so that you DO seek our help.

If we find that depression is present, we can address the issue right away with prescription medications, namely antidepressants. These medications work best when used in combination with psychotherapies that help you work through the mood dysregulation.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for depression, so we work with you until we find the right protocol that can help you break free from depression.

And the sooner we get started, the sooner we can get you to a place that isn’t overshadowed by sadness and hopelessness.

To get on the road to better mental health, please contact our clinic in The Loop, Chicago, Illinois, today to schedule a visit.