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.
Click on the play button to watch this video. Click on the following link to save this video to your computer (ZIP file, 6197 KB). (Visit the following link for instructions on opening ZIP files.)
Suggested usage for the NIMH Depression Video
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
