Depression. It’s being called the disease of the 21st century. In fact, the World Health Organization is sounding the alarm and predicting that by 2020, depression will be second only to heart disease as the leading cause of premature death and disability worldwide. Incredibly, the majority of today’s victims never seek treatment, instead choosing to suffer its torments in silence.

Depression: Fighting the Dragon is a one-hour documentary that offers a ray of hope, revealing research breakthroughs that could finally unlock the secrets of depression. The program follows several Canadians who have struggled, often for many years, to overcome this debilitating disease. Using sophisticated brain-imaging technologies, viewers see what actually happens in the human brain during depression, before and after treatment. These leading-edge tools could finally unlock the secrets of the disease, and Canadian scientists are among the world leaders in pioneering this research.

Directed by Sue Ridout, written by Sue Ridout and Helen Slinger, and produced by Sue Ridout for CTV.