I think there are conditions now that are treated with meds that in years past were not diagnosed. Like ADD and ADHD. I think years ago, before these were diagnosed and treated, they existed, but were just considered "problem" kids, and it was considered a behavior or lack of discipline problem. In the same way, clinical depression was undiagnosed and people who suffered with it were untreated, and were considered to be just always unhappy or blue, or even mentally ill. Some cases of depression can be triggered by a loss, and when someone can't get over that loss and remains "down" then there's a chemical change in the brain that becomes clinical depression. Some people suffer from depression that is chronic, genetic, and is not caused by an "event." I have suffered depression of the first kind when I suffered a traumatic loss and took antidepressants for a year and then was weaned off of them and had no further need for them. My daughter, however, suffers from the second kind and will probably be on antidepressants for the rest of her life. Without it, she becomes terribly depressed and suicidal. It does seem that more and more people are diagnosed with depression and treated with meds. Sometimes I wonder if our lifestyles have changed so much since our grandparents day and if they had better coping skills and therefore less depression or if just as many people were depressed and were never treated. But having been through it for a short period of time, it gave me a better understanding of what others go through when they live with constant depression. It's like a black fog that descends over you and you can't see beyond it. I struggled with suicidal thoughts - not because I wanted to die so much as not seeing a way out of the terrible grief, pain and unhappiness. Luckily, I saw a good dr. who explained about the chemical changes and I had some good therapy to learn new coping skills and after being on antidepressants for a while, the fog slowly lifted. I hope I never have to repeat that time in my life but I think because of my experience so long ago, I've been able to help my daughter when she became suicidal.