Learn More About Depression
Depression is a mood disorder that generally brings about sadness or apathy, but it can also influence a person’s energy, motivation, irritability, and overall well-being. Depressive disorders differ based on the types of symptoms as well as their frequency, intensity, duration, and triggers. Thankfully, depression can be treated with therapy and medication. Below you’ll find articles and resources to help you both understand and deal with symptoms of depression.
Understanding Depression
Key Terms to Know About Depression
Mood is your emotional baseline, or how you feel most of the time. In depression, mood shifts toward sadness, emptiness, or numbness. It often lasts for weeks or months and doesn’t always have a clear cause.
Anhedonia means losing interest or pleasure in things you used to enjoy, like hobbies, friends, or food. It’s one of the most defining features of depression and goes beyond just feeling bored or tired.
Hopelessness is the belief that things won’t get better, no matter what you do. It can make everyday decisions feel pointless and is closely linked to suicidal thinking. It’s a powerful and painful part of depression.
Depression often causes physical and mental exhaustion, even with plenty of rest. It’s not just “being tired”; it’s a deep, persistent sense of low energy that makes simple tasks feel overwhelming.
Rumination is the mental loop of going over the same negative thoughts again and again. People with depression often ruminate about past mistakes, self-worth, or hopeless futures, which deepens their sadness and fuels the disorder.
Negative self-talk is when people with depression have a harsh inner voice that says things like “I’m worthless” or “I always mess up.” This inner critic becomes louder and more believable during depressive episodes, affecting self-esteem and motivation.
Cognitive distortions are biased thinking patterns that twist reality in negative ways, like thinking in all-or-nothing terms, filtering out the positive, or blaming yourself for things you can’t control. Depression makes these thoughts feel like facts.
Suicidal ideation means having thoughts about death or wanting to die. Some people have passive thoughts (“I wish I could disappear”), while others think about specific plans. These thoughts are a sign of severe depression and should be taken seriously.
Frequently Asked Questions About Depression
What’s the difference between feeling sad and being depressed?
It’s important to differentiate typical sadness vs depression. Sadness is typically temporary and linked to a specific event. Depression is more pervasive, lasting at least two weeks, and often involves physical symptoms like fatigue or appetite changes.
Is depression really that common?
Yes. Depression is one of the most prevalent mental health conditions worldwide, affecting millions of people each year across all age groups.
Can depression go away on its own?
For some, mild episodes may improve without formal treatment, but moderate to severe depression generally requires intervention (therapy, medication, or both). Early treatment often leads to better outcomes.
What does depression look like?
It’s not always easy to tell if someone is depressed. Some people may express their depression through powerful bouts of irritability and anger. They also may display a blunted affect (seeming to feel very little at all). Children and adolescents dealing with depression may display an irritable mood rather than a depressed one.
How can someone be depressed if nothing traumatic has ever happened to them?
It’s a common misconception that depression only happens when someone has “something to be depressed about,” like a major loss, trauma, or life stressor. Depression can certainly be caused by things like this. But it often runs in families and is also caused by genetics. Depression isn’t just a reaction to difficult times, it’s a cyclical disorder that can keep coming back on its own.
Videos on Understanding Depression
Types of Depression
Key Terms
MDD is the most common form of depression. It involves intense sadness and/or loss of interest, low energy, and other symptoms that last for at least two weeks. It can affect sleep, appetite, concentration, and self-worth, and may include suicidal thoughts. Episodes can happen once or repeatedly.
PDD is a long-term, low-grade form of depression. Symptoms like sadness, fatigue, and low self-esteem may not be as intense as in major depression but last for two years or more. People with PDD often feel like they’ve always been “down,” and may not realize it’s a treatable condition.
PMDD is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). It includes mood symptoms like depression, irritability, or anxiety that appear in the week before a person’s period and go away shortly after it starts. It can seriously affect relationships, work, or school.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is tied to seasonal changes, usually starting in the fall or winter when there’s less sunlight. People may feel tired, sad, unmotivated, or crave carbohydrates. It often improves in the spring and may be treated with light therapy.
This is a type of depression that occurs during pregnancy or after childbirth. It goes beyond “baby blues” and can include intense sadness, anxiety, or difficulty bonding with the baby. It’s caused by hormonal changes, stress, and other factors. It is treatable with support and care
FAQs About Types of Depression
Are there different types of depression, or is it all the same?
There are various subtypes of depression, each with distinct symptoms and potential triggers. Some people cycle between low-level chronic depression and acute episodes, while others experience seasonal or hormonal patterns.
Can depression look different in men vs. women or teens vs. older adults?
Yes. Cultural norms and biology can influence symptoms. Women may experience more appetite and sleep difficulties, and men may experience more difficulties with risk taking and impulse control in response to depressive feelings. In children and teens, depressed mood might look more like irritability.
What are the common types of depression?
There are several forms of depression, each with distinct features. Among the most common are:
- major depressive disorder
- persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia)
- postpartum depression
- seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
- “Situational depression” (adjustment disorder with depressed mood)
Some people also experience atypical depression or psychotic depression with specific additional symptoms. A mental health professional can help determine which subtype applies and guide appropriate treatment.
Videos on the Types of Depression
Signs & Symptoms
Key Terms
Depression often brings a deep, lasting sadness that doesn’t go away, even when life seems okay on the outside. It’s not the same as normal sadness. It feels heavy, stuck, and hard to explain, often without a clear reason.
Depression often involves anhedonia, a loss of energy, motivation, or enjoyment in life. Even previously enjoyable experiences just feel less pleasurable
Depression can create feelings of guilt, even for things that aren’t your fault, and feelings of worthlessness. These emotions often show up when people feel like a burden or believe they’re failing others.
Depression can cause brain fog. Focusing, remembering things, or making decisions becomes harder. This cognitive slowdown isn’t laziness, it’s a real effect of how depression impacts attention and memory systems in the brain.
People with depression often isolate themselves, not because they don’t care, but because they feel exhausted, ashamed, or like they don’t belong. Avoiding others can feel safer but usually worsens the sense of disconnection.
Some people, especially teens or men, show depression through frustration or anger rather than sadness. Irritability is often rooted in internal suffering, a way pain comes out when someone doesn’t know how to express it.
Depression can lead to eating much more or much less than usual. This can be tied to loss of interest in food, a desire for comfort, or shifts in the brain’s regulation of hunger and reward.
The relationships between depression and sleep can differ. People may sleep too much (hypersomnia), too little (insomnia), or wake up feeling unrested. Depression disrupts the body’s internal clock and affects the brain’s ability to get restful, restorative sleep.
Many people with depression judge themselves for being depressed. They feel weak for needing help or guilty for struggling. This self-blame keeps them stuck and can stop them from seeking support, even though depression is never a personal failure
FAQs
How do I know if I am depressed?
Signs of depression often include a persistently low mood or loss of interest in once-enjoyable activities that lasts at least two weeks. Other common indicators can be changes in sleep or appetite, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, difficulty concentrating, and sometimes thoughts of suicide. If you notice these symptoms or suspect you may be depressed, a professional evaluation from a mental health provider is the best way to confirm a diagnosis and explore treatment options.
Can depression cause physical symptoms like body aches or fatigue?
Absolutely. Depression often presents with sleep disturbances, appetite changes, or aches/pains alongside emotional struggles.
Why do some people lose interest in hobbies or stop socializing when depressed?
Depression can diminish pleasure, energy, and motivation, a phenomenon called “anhedonia.” Even favorite activities can feel exhausting or meaningless.
How do I know if I’m just lazy or actually depressed?
True depression goes beyond occasionally not “feeling like” doing something. It typically includes persistent low mood or hopelessness, lasting weeks or more, and causing impairment in daily functioning. Difficulty getting things done can be a common feature of depression.
Videos
Is It Depression Or Something Else?
FAQs
Can depression be misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder?
Yes. If only the depressive episodes are noticed, bipolar disorder can sometimes be overlooked. Correct assessment requires a thorough history of mood swings, including any potential manic or hypomanic symptoms – the energetic, overactive side of bipolar disorder.
Is it easy to confuse depression with anxiety?
It can be. People with anxiety sometimes feel hopeless or fatigued, which can look like depression. A comprehensive evaluation helps distinguish whether someone is primarily experiencing anxious thoughts, depressive symptoms, or both.
Why might someone with ADHD be misdiagnosed with depression?
ADHD can involve low motivation, poor focus, and emotional dysregulation, symptoms that resemble depression. A detailed assessment of childhood history, attention patterns, and mood changes is crucial for accurate diagnosis.
Are there medical conditions that mimic depression?
Yes. Thyroid issues, vitamin deficiencies, and chronic illnesses (among others) can present with fatigue, low mood, and irritability. A medical evaluation alongside a mental health screening helps rule out or confirm physical causes.
Depression Treatment & Management
Key Terms
CBT for depression is one of the most studied and widely used techniques. It works by helping you identify negative thought patterns, like “I’m a failure” or “Nothing will ever get better,” and replace them with more balanced, realistic ones. In CBT, you’ll also learn practical skills like scheduling activities, solving problems, and facing things you’ve been avoiding. You might meet weekly with a therapist and do exercises between sessions. Over time, CBT changes the way your brain responds to stress and low mood, helping you feel more hopeful and capable.
Behavioral activation focuses on helping you reconnect with daily life when depression makes everything feel pointless. Depression often leads people to withdraw and stop doing the things that bring meaning or joy. In behavioral activation, you work with a therapist to slowly reintroduce those activities, even if you don’t feel like it at first. The goal is to help you experience small moments of pleasure or accomplishment again. In behavioral activation, you take action first, and the emotional benefits tend to follow.
Depression medications like SSRIs (e.g., sertraline or fluoxetine, generics for Zoloft and Prozac) or SNRIs (e.g., venlafaxine, generic for Effexor) help regulate the brain chemicals that affect mood, such as serotonin and norepinephrine. These medications don’t instantly make you happy, but they can reduce sadness or anxiety, and help you function better over time. You take them daily, and it usually takes a few weeks to feel the full effect. They’re prescribed by a doctor, who will monitor side effects and adjust the dose as needed. Medication is often combined with therapy for the best results.
IPT focuses on how depression affects and is affected by your relationships. It helps you improve communication, resolve conflict, and adjust to changes like grief, breakups, or role transitions (like becoming a parent or starting a new job). In IPT, you work with a therapist to better understand your social world and how it shapes your emotional life. If you’re feeling isolated, misunderstood, or overwhelmed by changes in your relationships, IPT can help you rebuild stronger, healthier connections and support systems.
MBCT combines elements of cognitive therapy with mindfulness practices like meditation and breathing exercises. You learn how to notice your thoughts and feelings without judging them or getting pulled into negative spirals. In group or individual sessions, you practice staying present and gently redirecting your attention. Over time, this helps break the cycle of rumination (the habit of overthinking or obsessing over what’s wrong) and makes you more resilient to stress and low mood.
FAQs
What is the best treatment for depression?
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution; many people benefit from a combination of psychotherapy (like CBT or interpersonal therapy) and medication. Lifestyle changes (regular exercise, healthy sleep, social support) can also help.
How do antidepressants make you feel?
The feeling of antidepressants usually involve a stabilized mood, reduced persistent sadness or anxiety, and improved overall functioning. Some people may experience side effects, like nausea, changes in appetite, or drowsiness, which often diminish over time. It’s essential to stay in contact with your prescribing provider to monitor effectiveness and adjust treatment as needed.
How long does it take antidepressants to work?
Antidepressants typically take a few weeks to start working. Most antidepressants begin to ease some symptoms (like low energy or sleep disturbances) within 2–4 weeks, but it can take 6–8 weeks to feel their full effect. Consistency in taking medication as prescribed and ongoing communication with your healthcare provider are essential during this period to monitor side effects and assess improvements.
What other treatments for depression are out there?
For those struggling with treatment-resistant depression, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is emerging as an option. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is another option for treatment-resistant depression.
Videos
Books on Treating and Managing Depression
Depression & Relationships
Dating Someone With Depression: What You Should Know
by: Gabri Schreyer, Ph.D.
Key Terms
Pulling away from social contact, conversations, or physical closeness. In depression, this often happens because the person feels tired, numb, or unworthy, not because they don’t care.
The ability to connect, empathize, and show warmth in a relationship. Depression can increase emotional unavailability, even if the person wants to be present.
Validation is the act of recognizing someone’s emotional experience without judging or trying to fix it. Validation helps both people feel understood and emotionally safe.
FAQs
How does depression affect romantic or close relationships?
Depression can create distance. The depressed person might pull away, feel unworthy of love, or have trouble showing affection. This can confuse or hurt their partner, even though it’s not personal. Clear communication and patience help both sides.
How do antidepressants make you feel?
The feeling of antidepressants usually involve a stabilized mood, reduced persistent sadness or anxiety, and improved overall functioning. Some people may experience side effects, like nausea, changes in appetite, or drowsiness, which often diminish over time. It’s essential to stay in contact with your prescribing provider to monitor effectiveness and adjust treatment as needed.
Why do people with depression sometimes push others away?
Depression often tells people they’re a burden or unlovable. Pushing others away can feel like protecting them, even if it ends up creating loneliness.
Can depression make someone more irritable or angry?
Yes. Depression can show up as irritability instead of sadness, especially in relationships. The person may feel overwhelmed, guilty, or stuck, and that can come out as frustration.
What can someone with depression do to stay connected to others?
Start small by sending a message, asking for a hug, or sharing how you’re feeling in just a few words. You don’t have to be cheerful to connect. Letting someone know you’re struggling is connection, too.
How do I support someone who says they feel like a burden?
Remind them that relationships aren’t about being perfect, they’re about being present. Let them know their feelings matter and you’re not expecting them to feel better right away. Just being with them makes a difference.
Is physical intimacy affected by depression?
Yes. Depression can lower interest in sex or physical closeness due to low energy, self-esteem issues, or medication side effects. Gentle communication and patience are key.
Videos
Depression & Common Overlapping Conditions
Key Terms
Comorbidity means having more than one mental health condition at the same time. It’s very common with depression and can affect how symptoms appear and how treatment works.
Some conditions share similar symptoms (like fatigue, sadness, or low motivation) but they have different causes, patterns, or treatments.
FAQs
Can someone have both anxiety and depression?
Yes, someone can have anxiety and depression at the same time. Luckily, medications and therapies that work for one often work just as well for the other.
Why do depression and anxiety often occur together?
Anxiety and depression share many risk factors, including genetic predisposition.They also share some similar features, like negative emotion and pessimistic or self-deprecating thinking.
Are depression and bipolar disorder related?
Yes. Bipolar disorder happens when someone experiences both depressive episodes and manic episodes. Because depressive symptoms usually occur first and most frequently, sometimes bipolar disorder can be misdiagnosed as a depressive disorder. It’s important to rule out bipolar disorder, because medications for bipolar disorder and depression are different.
Are depression and ADHD related?
ADHD and depression can be comorbid, and do have some overlapping symptoms like concentration difficulties and restlessness. Dealing with the challenges of ADHD can also be depressing or lower someone’s self-esteem. However, ADHD is fairly constant over time and depression tends to come and go in episodes.
Are depression and trauma related?
Depression and PTSD are often comorbid. Both can occur after a major trauma, and both can feature numbness, sadness, or guilt. PTSD also can feature flashbacks and hypervigilance, a feeling of always being on the lookout for danger.
Additional Resources for Depression
More Books for Dealing With Depression
Read More About Depression
