Depression (also known as major depression, major depressive order, or clinical depression) is a common but serious mood disorder. It causes severe symptoms that effect how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities, such as sleeping, eating or working.

Signs and symptoms

  • You may feel: -
  • Down, upset or tearful
  • Restless, agitated or irritable
  • Guilty, worthless and down in yourself
  • Empty and numb
  • Isolated and unable to relate to others.
  • Finding no pleasure in life or things you usually enjoy
  • Angry or frustrated over minor things.
  • A sense of unreality
  • No self-confidence or self esteem
  • Hopeless and despairing
  • Feeling tired all the tired

How you might act: -

  • Avoiding social events and activities you usually enjoy
  • Self-harming or suicidal behaviour
  • Difficulty speaking, thinking clearly or making decisions.
  • Losing interest in sex
  • Difficulty remembering or concentrating on things.
  • Using more tobacco, alcohol or other drugs than usual
  • Difficulty speaking or sleeping too much.
  • No appetite and losing weight or eating more than usual and gaining weight.
  • Physical aches and pains with no obvious physical cause
  • Moving very slowly, or being restless and agitated

Types

  • Persistent depressive order (PDD). PDD is a continuous depression that lasts for two years or more. You may also hear it called dysthymia or chronic depression.
  • Seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is depression that occurs at a particular time of the year, or during a particular season.
  • Ante natal depression. This is depression that occurs while you are pregnant.\it is sometimes called prenatal depression.
  • Postnatal depression (PND) This is depression that occurs in the first year after having a baby. This can include affecting dads and partners.
  • Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) This is a hormone -related disorder that affects your body but also how you feel. This can involve experiencing depression. So, your doctor may describe this as a mental health problem.

Causes of depression

There are many ideas about causes of depression. Research suggests that there is unlikely to be one single cause. The causes can also vary a lot between different people. For some of us, a combination of different factors may cause our depression, or we may find that we become depressed with an obvious cause or trigger.

Some possible causes of depression: -

  • Childhood experiences
  • Life events
  • Styles of thinking
  • Other mental health problems
  • Family history
  • Medication
  • Recreational drugs and alcohol
  • Sleep, diet and exercise

Diagnosis – in adults

If you experience symptoms of depression for most of the day, every day for more than 2 weeks, you should seek help from a GP. There are no physical tests for depression but a GP may examine you and carry out some urine or blood tests to rule out other conditions. He may also ask you other questions about your general health and how the way you are feeling is affecting your daily life both mentally and physically.

Treatments

Treatment for depression usually involves a combination of self – help, talking therapies and medicines. The treatment recommended will be based on the type of depression you have. There is evidence that exercise can help depression, and it’s one of the main treatments for mild depression. You may be referred to a group exercise class that’s designed to help with depression. You may find talking therapy, antidepressants or combination therapy useful.

  • Self- care for depression
  • Talk to someone you trust.
  • Try peer support.
  • Visit a recovery college.
  • Try mindfulness.
  • Take care of yourself
  • Spend time in nature.
  • Try something new.
  • Do something creative.
  • Keep a mood diary.
  • Write a journal.
  • Make a self-care box.

Get help now!

If you feel you might seriously harm yourself or attempt suicide, you need urgent medical help. Call 999, go straight to A&E or call your local crisis team.

National Supporting Services

Local Supporting Services

Page last reviewed: 23 September 2024
Next review due: 23 September 2025