You're depressed, but you better figure out how to deal with it, and fast, or you could end up hurting your family too.

Research says that one in four women will suffer major depression at some point in their lives. But very few women who are depressed actually get the treatment they need. That's bad news because depression can get worse if it's denied, ignored, or untreated. Here are some things about depression you ought to know.

Stress can trigger it. Stress management is as important for depression as it is for high blood pressure. This may be especially important to women who are exposed to sources of stress that men aren't sexual harassment, sexual abuse, being underpaid etc.

Depression is contagious. It can be transmitted from one person to another among people living together. That means your depression increases your child's risk of becoming depressed or developing an anxiety or behaviour disorder.

Depression doesn't always equal sadness. Insomnia, sleepiness, under-eating, bingeing, fatigue, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, general loss of the ability to enjoy things you normally like to do, anger, irritability, feeling of helplessness, guilt, a sense of emotional numbness, and self-blame can also signal depression. While men display most of these symptoms, other signs look very different. For instance, they may become overactive, overly sexual, engage in acts of bravado, deny pain, or withdraw from relationships. If these signs start to accumulate, become intense, or begin to overwhelm you over several weeks, then you are very likely slipping into a depressed state. Seek help.

What's your coping style? While men are most likely to distract themselves or swing into some action, women tend to dwell on their problems. And when you ruminate, you are most likely to rake up negative things from the past, generate negative interpretations of present events, and make negative predictions of the future, all of which lead to depression.

A good night's sleep. While you can't completely control how your dreams unfold, you can nudge them in the right direction. Before you crash out, keep a note of the pending work. Most people can't get a good night's sleep because all the unfinished tasks of the day keep playing around in their head. Note it all down or try and get it done. Settle everything that's niggling your mind and then wish yourself a good night. And make sure you get enough sleep at least seven to eight hours.

Pills and ills. Diabetes, auto-immune diseases, thyroid problems, even a case of the flu can trigger depression. Even certain prescription drugs, hormone replacement therapy, high blood pressure drugs, steroid medications, pain relievers, the pill, etc., can lead to depression.

It's lasting and recurrent. Looks like if you've got the blues once, you'll get them again. Research suggests that people who experience depression will experience it many times in their lives.

A lasting impact on health. Depression suppresses the immune system and this can make you more susceptible to contagious diseases. It can also increase your risk of heart disease and some forms of cancer. So watch out.

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