Depression
Also called: Clinical depression, Dysthymic disorder, Major depressive disorder, Unipolar depressionLearn More
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Resources
Summary
Depression is a serious medical illness. It's more than just a feeling of being sad or "blue" for a few days. If you are one of the more than 19 million teens and adults in the United States who have depression, the feelings do not go away. They persist and interfere with your everyday life. Symptoms can include
- Feeling sad or "empty"
- Loss of interest in favorite activities
- Overeating, or not wanting to eat at all
- Not being able to sleep, or sleeping too much
- Feeling very tired
- Feeling hopeless, irritable, anxious, or guilty
- Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Depression is a disorder of the brain. There are a variety of causes, including genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Depression can happen at any age, but it often begins in teens and young adults. It is much more common in women. Women can also get postpartum depression after the birth of a baby. Some people get seasonal affective disorder in the winter. Depression is one part of bipolar disorder.
There are effective treatments for depression, including antidepressants, talk therapy, or both.
NIH: National Institute of Mental Health
Latest News
- Depression: FDA-Approved Medications May Help (10/27/2016, Food and Drug Administration)
- Are Some Blood Pressure Meds Linked to Depression, Bipolar Risk? (10/11/2016, HealthDay)
- Depression Can Fuel Heart Disease in Midlife Women (10/06/2016, HealthDay)
- 'The Pill' May Raise Depression Risk (09/28/2016, HealthDay)
- Depression in Early Pregnancy Linked to Gestational Diabetes, NIH Study Finds (09/19/2016, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
- More News on Depression
Symptoms
- Signs and Symptoms of Mood Disorders (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
- Antipsychotic drugs a last resort for these 5 conditions (ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia and PTSD) (Consumers Union of U.S.)
- Brain Stimulation Therapies (National Institute of Mental Health)
- Depression Treatment (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Depression: Should You Consider Antipsychotics? (Consumers Union of U.S.) - PDF
- Let's Learn about Medicines to Treat Depression (National Center for Farmworker Health, Consumers Union of U.S.) - PDF
- MedlinePlus: Antidepressants (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Psychotherapies (National Institute of Mental Health)
- St. John's Wort and Depression (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
- Therapy and Counseling (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Time to Talk: 5 Things to Know about St. John's Wort and Depression (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
Living With
- Depression and Anxiety: Exercise Eases Symptoms (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Depression: Supporting a Family Member or Friend (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Related Issues
- Alzheimer's or Depression: Could It Be Both? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Chronic Illness & Mental Health (National Institute of Mental Health) Also in Spanish
- Coping with Unexpected Events: Depression and Trauma (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance)
- Depression and African Americans (Mental Health America)
- Depression and Anxiety in Migraine Patients (American Migraine Foundation)
- Depression and Suicide Risk (American Association of Suicidology) - PDF
Specifics
- Atypical Depression (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Can Lupus Cause Depression? (Lupus Foundation of America)
- Coping with Suicidal Thoughts (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Dementia: Depression and Alzheimer's Disease (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Depression (PDQ) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Depression and Caregiving (Family Caregiver Alliance) Also in Spanish
- Depression in the Workplace (Mental Health America)
- Dysthymic Disorder (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Treatment-Resistant Depression (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- What Does the Term "Clinical Depression" Mean? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Health Check Tools
- Screening for Depression (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance)
Videos and Tutorials
- Symptoms and Treatment of Depression (National Institute of Mental Health)
Statistics and Research
- Depression in Older Adults (Mental Health America)
- Major Depression Among Adults (National Institute of Mental Health)
- Major Depressive Episode among Full-Time College Students and Other Young Adults, Aged 18 to 22 (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Depression (National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Dysthymic Disorder (National Institutes of Health)
Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Find an Expert
- American Psychiatric Association
- Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Services Locator (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Find Your Local NAMI (NAMI)
- Help for Mental Illnesses (National Institute of Mental Health)
- National Institute of Mental Health
- Psychologist Locator (American Psychological Association)
Children
- Depression (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Depression in Children and Teens (American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Taking Your Child to a Therapist (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Why Am I So Sad? (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Teenagers
- Depression (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Depression and College Students (National Institute of Mental Health)
- Teen Depression (National Institute of Mental Health)
Men
- Male Depression: Understanding the Issues (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Men and Depression (National Institute of Mental Health)
Women
- Depression (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
- Depression and Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF Also in Spanish
- Depression in Women: 5 Things You Should Know (National Institute of Mental Health)
- Depression in Women: Understanding the Gender Gap (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Seniors
- Depression (National Institute of Mental Health)
- Older Adults and Depression (National Institute of Mental Health)
Patient Handouts
- Depression (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Depression - elderly (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Depression - stopping your medicines (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Dysthymia (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Heart disease and depression (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Learning about depression (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Major depression (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Major depression with psychotic features (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish