"The trouble is that most of the symptoms described, like violence or suicidal tendencies, are symptoms well known to accompany depression," Dr. Leber said.

Expert advice on how to sidestep pitfalls that often accompany depression.

Here are six behavioral pitfalls that often accompany depression - and how you can steer clear of them as you and your doctor or therapist work on getting back on track.

Social commentators noted that this phenomenon was not new: bright colours and rising skirts apparently went with good times whilst body concealment and drab tones accompanied depression.

"This feeling that your thoughts can somehow control things can be a needed feeling" - the polar opposite of the helplessness, he added, that so often accompanies depression.

Anxiety can accompany depression.

Treatment with medication and/or psychotherapy can shorten depression's course and can help reduce symptoms such as fatigue and poor self-esteem that accompany depression.

Seeing such gross abnormalities makes it easier to understand the dysregulation of basic body functions like eating, sleeping and sexuality that often accompany depression.

Signs of anxiety or agitation Suicide is associated not just with depressive symptoms, but even more so with the anxiety and agitation that often accompany depression.

Why self-destructive behavior may accompany depression and what to do about it.