It's time we realized "depression" isn't a 4-letter word. Yet it
seems to be shunned and more often than not covered up in our
society. People, especially older folks, generally don't talk
about being depressed. Perhaps that's one of the main reasons
depression is so poorly diagnosed by healthcare professionals
these days. If you're reading column as a follow-up to filling
out last week's depression checklist, I'm glad you returned for
more information. If you just found this column and missed that
overview, I'm certain you'll discover some rather important
insights that can help you or a loved-one discover a renewed
sense of meaning and purpose in life. It is important to realize
that symptoms of depression vary considerably. Characterized by
a wide constellation of symptoms, no two people suffer from
depression in exactly the same way. A depressed person often
experiences a persistent sad or "empty" mood, loss of interest
or pleasure in ordinary activities, eating and sleeping
disturbances, restlessness, de