What is Depression

Depression, also known as feeling really down or sad, is a mental health problem that makes you feel gloomy or lose interest in things you usually enjoy. It can make daily life really tough. Sometimes it’s called a mood disorder. It might feel like sadness, loss, or even anger that messes up what you normally do.

People experience depression in different ways. It can make it hard to work or do things you need to do, and mess up relationships and health conditions like arthritis, asthma, heart issues, cancer, diabetes, and obesity.

You should remember that everyone faces tough times, but feeling really sad and down all the time is not normal. Depression is a serious condition that needs treatment. If not treated, it can get worse and even lead to thoughts of hurting yourself.

There are two main types of depression: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD).

MDD can really affect your well-being. You might lose interest in things you used to enjoy, have trouble sleeping, lose or gain weight, and feel tired all the time. You might also feel guilty or have thoughts of death or suicide.

PDD is a milder but long-lasting form of depression. It can last for years and make you lose interest in daily stuff, feel hopeless, and have low self-esteem.

Depression can happen for various reasons, like childhood trauma, genetics, brain structure, medical conditions, substance abuse, and life events.

Diagnosing depression isn’t a single test; it’s based on your symptoms and a mental evaluation. Your doctor might ask about your mood, sleep, eating habits, and thoughts. They might also do a physical exam and blood tests to rule out other issues.

Don’t ignore signs of depression. If it doesn’t get better, seek help. Depression affects not only you but your loved ones too. If untreated, it can lead to problems like weight changes, pain, substance abuse, panic attacks, relationship issues, social isolation, and even thoughts of self-harm.

Treatment usually involves therapy, medication, or both. Having a pet can also help. You can learn more about emotional support animals (ESAs) on CertaPet’s website.

References:
1. [Learn About Depression](https://www.healthline.com/health/depression)
2. [Persistent Depressive Disorder](https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/persistent-depressive-disorder#1)
3. [Major Depressive Disorder](https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/major-depression#1)
4. [Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)](https://www.certapet.com/)

97 thoughts on “What is Depression”

  1. What a great read. I’ve learned a lot about Depression. It’s great that you’re writing about it. More people need to be educated. Not all people believe in depression.

  2. Depression is such an intense feeling I know. The hardest thing with depression is trying to determine if depression was the only issue or whether it was a state of co-morbidity with other psychological factors affecting the person at the same time. These are good things to look out for in the person suffering from depression.

  3. This is great information, and depression is definitely something to take seriously. We need to take care of ourselves and get professional help when necessary.

  4. I so relate to this post. It makes me sad to know that so many people are connected through this problem. Thanks for opening up and letting others feel better about themselves.

  5. wow -this is a VERY helpful post! I think it’s good to know this stuff because not everyone does! I know when I got told I had anxiety I was lacking all the knowledge so anyone needing to learn about depression will gain a lot from your post! Thank you for posting!!!

  6. This info is so helpful. I thought I knew what depression was but after reading this post, I have a much better understanding. I had no clue that it could actually cause other conditions to get worse.

  7. You have some fresh ways to describe and diagnose depression, I like it. Not just the typical lists you find when googling. Also, such an important and widespread epidemic, thank you for spreading awareness!!

  8. This is such a great post. Many people throw that word around so loosely, and it’s somehow lost a bit of truth and severity along the way. I think people should be aware of what depression actually is.

  9. Depression is a serious issue, and I often wonder why people do not take this more seriously. I have family members who suffer from depression and it is a part of mental health. Let’s support those who suffer from this disorder.

  10. Just recently, I know a person who took his own life and was later reported suffering from depression. Nobody knew or “recognized the signs”. It’s a good thing to share awareness such as this, reposted!

  11. From working in the area of disabilities, this is one post that a lot of our counselors should read and get a hold of. It is a serious thing and not something easily understood by many, but we need to have compassion no matter who the person is bc we never know what they are going through.

  12. I’m curious if you’ve tried any of the AI bots that help support mental health. As a former counselor and social worker, I was leery of these bots and whether they’d offer anything substantial. A few surprised me, and one in particular even gave printouts I could share with my medical professional(s) to show my changes throughout my time using the AI app. Thoughts?

    1. While a software chatbot will never replace a human therapist, Woebot makes it possible to inexpensively deliver counseling to millions.
      AI is the new electricity: even with its current limitations, it is already transforming multiple industries. The transformation of mental health care will help millions of people who struggle with their mental health, sometimes through literal life and death decisions. Being an active Practioner I’ll say this AI has more developments to make.

  13. This is so important for everyone to read. There is a difference between a case of the blues and chronic depression, and people need to understand that difference.

  14. Depression can be so hard to get a handle on, last year I suffered from cycles of it all year on and off and it was just a horrible year. My husband was very helpful though and was always asking if there was anything he could do to help, I didn’t know what I needed help with though as I wasn’t even sure why I was depressed to begin with it just hit like a brick.

  15. Depression is and has been for a while the disease of the modern world, which silently sneaks into our lives and refuses to leave. It’s so important to notice the signs of depression from the beginning and seek for help. Unfortunately depression is still a stigma and people are ashamed to go to a councilor because of what other people would think.

  16. This article is so informative. As a young girl, I’ve always struggled with anxiety but it wasn’t until these last couple years that depression became a symptom of my anxiety and if I’m being honest, I was completely clueless on how to handle it or what I was supposed to do!

  17. Great blog, very informative and pure. There are many forms of depression even I didn’t think of, but all forms are serious nonetheless and should be handled with delicacy.

    Thanks for sharing!

  18. Really well written post. Your mental health is so important – especially in this day and age when there is so much pressure put on everyone all the time

  19. I’m at least so glad that we have this illness established, we try to find solutions and we talk about it more openly than ever. I know some countries that still consider depression a “taboo” and it hurts me. Anyways, thank you for the post, very informative!

  20. I appreciate that you are highlighting mental health and how to overcome it. I’ve suffered from depression after my babies were born and it can be a very dark place!

  21. What a great article to read! I’ve learned more about depression and thanks so much for letting us know all that. I will definitely share this!

  22. There is no doubt that Depression is very complicated and has many facets when it comes to diagnosis and treatment. Thankfully it is more understood and acknowledged more broadly today than it used to be and this in itself is a good thing to help those suffering in this way.

  23. This is such an important topic to discuss and to discuss often. Depression should never be taboo and people should be able to freely discuss their depression without fear and stigma.

  24. Depression is really a serious problem and have to be dealt with great care. Really nice and interesting article and you have covered quite a lot of information on Depression.

  25. Geraline Batarra

    These is really a serious topic. And i hope if any of you had any of your family who might have this. Help them, they really need it.

  26. The unfortunate thing with the typical understanding of depression it usually leaves out some HUGE reasons people show signs and symptoms of depression even when those people do not have major depressive disorder or PDD. So, whereas dysfunction in the brain may account for some cases of depression and, therefore, are (probably) best helped with things like medication, a lot of people seem to have depression when they really have things like: post-traumatic stress disorder, complex PTSD, situation depression, and other things. Yes, these things upset the chemical balance in the brain and more “negative emotion” chemicals are released and CAN be blocked with meds, but those meds will begin to alter the way the brain works, make the brain reliant on them, block out important physiological reactions to certain things, and will not deal with whatever underlying issue is leading to the depressive symptoms.

    I bring this into the conversation because I have seen far too many people become reliant on anti-depression meds without addressing the symptom-causing situations in their lives (changing the situations or working on acceptance). I am not disputing MDD or PDD, I am adding to the conversation.

  27. This is an informative post especially for those who are wanting to get a better understanding of depression and some of its’ forms. As someone who has cyclothymia, I think bringing awareness to depression is so important.

  28. This is such a great. Some of us know depression but actually, don’t even know what a person suffering from this going through.

  29. I have suffered in Depression 2 years ago. It’s not what people think. We are normal. Thank you for sharing this and give awareness to others what Depression means.

  30. Thank you so much for this post. I think that it is important to know the different types and know the symptoms. It is so important for people who believe they are suffering from depression to get help as early as possible.

  31. This is such an informative list. I think it’s so important to stay educated and informed so that we can be supportive and helpful.

  32. Understanding what depression is and is not can help you cope with it best. I experienced it a few times in my life, more so when I became a mom each time. It can be quite lonely at times.

  33. It’s very hard to tell if someone is having a depression so we have to check for the signs and be sensitive. This is very informative.

  34. While I may experience mild seasonal depression, due to lack of sun here in Canada, my son has struggled for years dealing with his mental illness. In the past couple of years, he has made a study of his brain by engaging with psychology, philosophy and even the psychedelic experiments. He is leaps and bounds from where he was just a few short years ago. As it is said in Zen, “Be Master of Mind, not Mastered by Mind.”

  35. Wow, what an in-depth article. Depression a serious topic and shouldn’t be taken lightly. I didn’t know there were different types of disorders that deals with depression.

  36. A well put together informative post. Mental health is easy to disregard, but posts like this help others to understand the importance of seeking care.

  37. I may be surrounded with a lot of positive people in my life, it does not really mean I don’t have to stop and listen to their every emotional and mental need. We all have stories to tell so it’s best for people to hear them out.

  38. blair villanueva

    I may not suffer from this situation but I know someone who does. It was only disappointing that my work colleagues wouldn’t understand him even our boss, and now he decided to leave the firm.

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