Recently a comment was made regarding my posts about depression. My reader suggested I had misinterpreted the commercial and she was unhappy with my statement that a depressed person had some responsibility for seeking treatment.


Her thoughtful comment prompted me to research Cymbalta, and depression in general. The Cymbalta website has this to say about depression:

Who Does Depression Hurt?
Depression is common, affecting about 121 million people worldwide.¹ More than 32 million people in the United States will experience a major depressive disorder in their lifetime.² This happens regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or income. Depression affects friends and family as well, putting stress on relationships at home and at work.
Unfortunately, many people with depression avoid seeking treatment because they worry what others will think of them. They don't realize how widespread this medical condition is:
• Depression is among the leading causes of disability worldwide²
• Women are nearly twice as likely as men to experience depression2
• People with a family history of depression may be more likely to develop the disease
• People with chronic or debilitating medical conditions may also be susceptible to the disease
• A major life change, even a joyous one like becoming a new parent, increases the risk of developing depression
The fact is, depression affects plenty of people who don't have any obvious risk factors. What's more, those around the depressed person are touched too, including family, friends and coworkers.

The comment by my reader discussed the two chemicals thought to be associated with depression, serotonin and norepinephrine.


The Cymbalta site had this to say about the neurochemical imbalance…

Many researchers believe depression is caused by an imbalance of two naturally-occurring chemicals -- serotonin and norepinephrine -- in the brain and the body. In the brain, these two chemicals are thought to be associated with mood. These same chemicals are thought to be associated with regulating and reducing feelings of pain that come from the body.


If these chemicals are out of balance, the effect can be felt in both the brain and body. You can feel both the emotional and painful physical symptoms of depression.

Lastly, this advice was offered:

Seek Help
Many people suffer in silence while depression slowly eats away at their quality of life. Some are ashamed or afraid to seek help; others try to downplay the severity of their symptoms.

At one point my daughter was diagnosed with “Anaclitic depression.” More on this coming…