Depression definition

Hi, I'm Dr. Craig Sawchuk, a clinical psychologist at Mayo Clinic. And I'm here to talk with you about depression. Whether you're looking for answers for yourself, a friend, or loved one, understanding the basics of depression can help you take the next step. What is depression? Depression is a mood disorder that causes feelings of sadness that won't go away. Unfortunately, there's a lot of stigma around depression. Depression isn't a weakness or a character flaw. It's not about being in a bad mood, and people who experience depression can't just snap out of it. Depression is a common, serious, and treatable condition. If you're experiencing depression, you're not alone. It honestly affects people of all ages and races and biological sexes, income levels and educational backgrounds. Approximately one in six people will experience a major depressive episode at some point in their lifetime, while up to 16 million adults each year suffer from clinical depression. There are many types of symptoms that make up depression. Emotionally, you may feel sad or down or irritable or even apathetic. Physically, the body really slows down. You feel tired. Your sleep is often disrupted. It's really hard to get yourself motivated. Your thinking also changes. It can just be hard to concentrate. Your thoughts tend to be much more negative. You can be really hard on yourself, feel hopeless and helpless about things. And even in some cases, have thoughts of not wanting to live. Behaviorally, y...

Recent Examples on the Web Four years later, Longenecker’s father, Michael Passalacqua, 58, died by suicide in a spiral of depression suffered after his ex-wife’s killing. — oregonlive, 9 June 2023 The presentation showed a questionnaire that appeared to measure common symptoms of depression and anxiety. — Tatum Hunter, Washington Post, 5 June 2023 People will typically come in around a specific pain point: maybe anxiety or social anxiety, or agoraphobia, or depression, PTSD, chronic illness — the list goes on. — Matt Thompson, SPIN, 2 June 2023 As of Tuesday afternoon the National Hurricane Center was giving the disturbance a low chance (20 percent) of developing into a tropical depression or storm over the next seven days. — Leigh Morgan, al, 30 May 2023 Magnesium - Besides helping keep bones strong to stave off osteoporosis, magnesium helps with menopausal symptoms like sleep difficulty and depression. — Melanie Laughman, The Enquirer, 27 May 2023 In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning last month, Fetterman discussed his battle with depression. — Jack Birle, Washington Examiner, 17 May 2023 Jake Burger wanted to get down everything that helped in his battle with depression and anxiety. — Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2023 That compassion extended to those who, like Mr. Walker, had been diagnosed with depression. — Bryan Marquard, BostonGlobe.com, 14 May 2023 See More These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current u...

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home. If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include: • Feeling sad or having a depressed mood • Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed • Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting • Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much • Loss of energy or increased fatigue • Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., inability to sit still, pacing, handwringing) or slowed movements or speech (these actions must be severe enough to be observable by others) • Feeling worthless or guilty • Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions • Thoughts of death or suicide Symptoms must last at least two weeks and must represent a change in your previous level of functioning for a diagnosis of depression. Also, medical conditions (e.g., thyroid problems, a brain tumor or vitamin deficiency) can mimic symptoms of depression so it is important to rule out general medical causes. Depression affects an estimated one in 15 adults (6.7%) in any given year. And one in six people (16.6%)...

depression, in Depression differs from simple grief or mourning, which are appropriate emotional responses to the loss of loved persons or objects. Where there are clear grounds for a person’s unhappiness, depression is considered to be present if the depressed mood is disproportionately long or severe vis-à-vis the precipitating event. The distinctions between the duration of depression, the circumstances under which it arises, and certain other characteristics underlie the classification of depression into different types. Examples of different types of depression include 44 Questions from Britannica’s Most Popular Health and Medicine Quizzes Characteristics and causes of depression Depression is probably the most common psychiatric complaint and has been described by physicians since before the time of ancient Greek physician Depression can have many causes. Unfavourable life events can increase a person’s vulnerability to depression or trigger a depressive episode. Negative thoughts about oneself and the world are also important in producing and maintaining depressive symptoms. However, both psychosocial and biochemical mechanisms seem to be important causes; the chief biochemical cause appears to be the defective regulation of the release of one or more naturally occurring Depression is also associated with disordered Research suggests that depression is also linked to Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Types of depression Othe...

Depression is classified as a mood disorder. It may be described as feelings of sadness, loss, or anger that interfere with a person’s everyday activities. It’s also fairly common. Data from the Though depression and grief share some features, depression is In grief, positive emotions and happy memories of the deceased typically accompany feelings of emotional pain. In major depressive disorder, the feelings of sadness are constant. People experience depression in different ways. It may interfere with your daily work, resulting in lost time and lower productivity. It can also influence relationships and some chronic health conditions. Conditions that can get worse due to depression include: • • • • • • It’s important to realize that feeling down at times is a normal part of life. Sad and upsetting events happen to everyone. But if you’re feeling down or hopeless on a regular basis, you could be dealing with depression. Depression is considered a serious medical condition that can get worse without proper treatment. Depression can be more than a constant state of sadness or feeling “blue.” Major depression can cause a variety of symptoms. Some affect your mood and others affect your body. Symptoms may also be ongoing or come and go. General signs and symptoms Not everyone with depression will experience the same symptoms. Symptoms can vary in severity, how often they happen, and how long they last. If you experience some of the following signs and • feeling sad, • feeling h...

Overview Depressive disorder (also known asdepression) is a common mental disorder. It involves a depressed mood or loss of pleasure or interest in activities for long periods of time. Depression is different from regular mood changes and feelings about everyday life. It can affect all aspects of life, including relationships with family, friends and community. It can result from or lead to problems at school and at work. Depression can happen to anyone. People who have lived through abuse, severe losses or other stressful events are more likely to develop depression. Women are more likely to have depression than men. An estimated 3.8% of the population experience depression, including 5% of adults (4% among men and 6% among women), and 5.7% of adults older than 60 years. Approximately 280million people in the world have depression (1). Depression is about 50% more common among women than among men. Worldwide, more than 10% of pregnant women and women who have just given birth experience depression (2). More than 700000 people die due to suicide every year. Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in 15–29-year-olds. Although there are known, effective treatments for mental disorders, more than 75% of people in low- and middle-income countries receive no treatment (3).Barriers to effective care include a lack of investment in mental health care, lack of trained health-care providers and social stigma associated with mental disorders. Symptoms and patterns During a depr...

Depression is a common mental health condition that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and changes in how you think, sleep, eat and act. There are several different types. Depression is treatable — usually with talk therapy, medication or both. Seeking medical help as soon as you have symptoms is essential. Overview What is depression? Depression is a It’s normal to feel sad about or grieve over difficult life situations, such as losing your job or a divorce. But depression is different in that it persists practically every day for at least two weeks and involves other symptoms than sadness alone. There are several types of depressive disorders. Clinical depression, or major depressive disorder, is often just called “depression.” It’s the most severe type of depression. Without treatment, depression can get worse and last longer. In severe cases, it can lead to What are the types of depression? The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) classifies depressive disorders as the following: • Clinical depression (major depressive disorder): A diagnosis of major depressive disorder means you’ve felt sad, low or worthless most days for at least two weeks while also having other symptoms such as sleep problems, loss of interest in activities or change in appetite. This is the most severe form of depression and one of the most common forms. • Persistent depressive disorder (PDD): Persistent depressive disorder...