Depression

What is Depression?

What is depression? Depression is more than a feeling of being sad or irritable for a few days. It's a serious mood disorder. As one of the most common mental disorders in the United States, depression can affect how you think, feel, and your everyday life. You may not know why you feel this way, but even basic daily activities such as sleeping, eating, or working may become difficult. Depression often needs long-term treatment but getting help at the earliest sign of a problem can help manage your symptoms. What are the different types of depression? The most common types of depression are major depression and persistent depressive disorder. Major depression symptoms include a depressed mood or a loss of interest. Symptoms affect your daily activities and last for at least two weeks. Persistent depressive disorder (also called dysthymia or dysthymic disorder) has less severe depressive symptoms, but they last longer, usually for at least two years. Other types of depression can include: Seasonal affective disorder comes and goes with the seasons. It usually starts in late fall and early winter and goes away during the spring and summer. Bipolar disorder is sometimes called manic depression. This mood disorder can cause intense mood swings. Depression with symptoms of psychosis is a severe form of depression that also has delusions (false beliefs) or hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling something that isn't there). What causes depression? There are a variety of things that may cause depression, including genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Depression can happen at any age and can affect anyone, but it's more common in women. This is often due to the physical and hormonal changes that women have during menstruation, pregnancy, the postpartum period, and menopause. Other mental disorders or chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, cancer, or heart disease may occur with depression. This may make the chronic condition or depression worse. In some cases, there is no clear cause for depression. Who is at risk of depression? You may be at a higher risk of depression if you have a close relative who has it or another mental health disorder. Going through trauma or stressful life events may raise your risk even more. What are the symptoms of depression? Depression doesn't look the same on everyone. The type and number of symptoms of depression can vary and don't always appear like sadness. Depression may affect you differently based on your: Age. The symptoms of depression may be different in a child, who may appear more irritable than sad. Teens may act out or have excessive sleepiness. The symptoms for an older adult may not be as obvious as other age groups. Sex. Men often show symptoms and coping behaviors differently than women. Rather than sad, men may appear angry or irritable. Medical conditions. Some medicines and medical conditions may cause symptoms that look like depression. Chronic conditions may make depression worse. Symptoms of depression are ongoing and affect your day-to-day life. They can include: Feeling sad or "empty" Losing interest in favorite activities Overeating, or not wanting to eat at all Sleeping too much, or not enough Feeling very tired Feeling hopeless, irritable, anxious, or guilty Having aches and pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems Having thoughts of death or suicide Changing moods or behaviors Increasing use of alcohol or drugs Isolating from family and friends How is depression diagnosed? If you think you have depression, talk to your health care provider or a mental health provider. To be diagnosed with depression, your provider may use many tools: A medical history will include asking about your symptoms and family history. To be diagnosed with depression, your symptoms must occur most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks. One of the symptoms must be a depressed mood or a loss of interest in most activities. Medical tests may be d

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