World-Class Athletes Encourage Americans To Recognize Signs And Symptoms Of Depression

(NAPSA)-What do Olympic soccer star and gold medalist Julie Foudy, Hall of Fame thoroughbred jockey Julie Krone, Olympic skier Heidi Voelker, Olympic gold medalist and basketball all-star Teresa Weatherspoon and Olympic bronze medalist and world champion diver Wendy Williams have in common?
They've teamed up to raise awareness about depression through a program called the Minds in Motion Depression Awareness Campaign. Their goal is to help people understand the facts abut depression, a medically treatable condition that can affect anyone...even Olympic and professional athletes. In fact, one in six Americans will experience depression in their lifetime, and both Wendy Williams and Julie Krone suffer from this serious medical condition. The good news is that depression is treatable with medication, psychotherapy or a combination of the two. Some individuals can benefit from a depression treatment regimen that also includes exercise.
Signs and symptoms of depression include:
1.    Continuous sad moods
2.    Loss of interest or pleasure in almost all activities
3.    Changes in appetite or weight
4.    Changes in sleep patterns
5.    Restlessness or decreased activity that others notice
6.    Loss of energy or feeling tired all the time
7.    Difficulty in concentrating or making decisions
8.    Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
9.    Repeated thoughts of suicide or death
If you or someone you know has five or more of these symptoms, including either a continuous sad mood or loss of interest or pleasure in most activities, major depression may be the cause. These symptoms must have lasted at least two weeks and be disturbing enough to cause distress or interfere with work, social life or daily functioning.
To learn more about depression and its treatments, talk to your doctor and call the Minds in Motion toll-free information line at 1-800-890-1100. Remember, only a doctor can make a diagnosis of depression.
The Minds in Motion Depression Awareness Campaign is sponsored by Pfizer Inc. and the Women's Sports Foundation.

Can you recognize the signs of depression, a condition that one in six Americans will experience in their lifetime?