Depression
What is Depression?
Depression is a serious medical illness; it’s not something that you have made up in your head. It’s more than just feeling "down in the dumps" or "blue" for a few days. It’s feeling "down" and "low" and "hopeless" for weeks at a time. More about Depression »
Watch this 4-minute video to learn about signs, symptoms and research on depression.
Signs & Symptoms
- Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
- Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
- Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed More about Signs & Symptoms »
Treatment
A variety of treatments including medications and short-term psychotherapies have proven effective for depression. More about Treatment »
- Treatment choices for resistant depression – STAR*D trial
- Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS)
Getting Help: Locate Services
Locate mental health services in your area, affordable healthcare, NIMH clinical trials, and listings of professionals and organizations. More about Locating Services »
Related Information
- Information on coping with traumatic events
- Occurrence in:
- Depression Information and Organizations from NLM's MedlinePlus (en Español)
- Some mental illnesses also carry an increased risk for suicide.
- Watch a NIH i-to-eye vodcast interview about depression
- Watch this video on depression and older adults featuring NIMH's Dr. George Niederehe