That's because households are more likely to spend that money than the banks, especially in a depressed economy.

BBC: A welcome boost - unless you're a bank

The result is that food giants are gobbling small, innovative brands, especially in America where valuations are depressed.

ECONOMIST: Unilever: Fat and thin | The

Pamela Liebman, president of Corcoran Group, said that sales may have been depressed lately because of falling inventory, especially of well-priced apartments.

WSJ: Property Slips in Manhattan

Yet research has also shown that local economic booms (especially when caused by the introduction of gambling casinos into a depressed region) can actually cause certain sorts of crime to rise.

ECONOMIST: Defeating the bad guys

Current low interest rates and depressed asset values also make the charitable lead annuity trust especially appealing for some people.

FORBES: Expert View

Dr. Hyman says there's reason to believe that the stereotype of the depressed person being someone who is withdrawn and inactive may not always be correct, especially among adolescents.

CNN: Research on depression shows genetic and chemical link

It's been difficult to confirm their safety, however, especially since investigators have to find a way to distinguish between the effects of depression itself -- and habits that depressed women may be more likely to engage in, like drinking and smoking -- and the drug on the newborn.

CNN: Antidepressant use in pregnancy can affect newborn