Quick answer. Depression is more than low mood or a hard few days: it is a persistent low mood or loss of interest and pleasure, usually lasting at least two weeks, that affects sleep, energy, concentration, and how a person sees themselves and the future. It is common and treatable — talking therapies such as CBT help many people, and some also find antidepressant medication useful, which is a decision to discuss with a GP or qualified prescriber. If you ever have thoughts of suicide or feel unable to keep yourself safe, contact the emergency services (112 or 999), call the Samaritans free on 116 123, or Pieta on 1800 247 247.
Depression Guides and Support Routes
These newer guides help readers move from broad depression information into self-reflection, high-functioning depression, support options and therapy routes.
Depression Support: Understanding, Safety and Next Steps
When depression is part of life, people often need more than a symptom list. It can help to know where to find reliable information, what support routes exist in Ireland, and when personal professional help may be important.
Depression is more than feeling sad or having a difficult week. It can bring a persistent heaviness that touches mood, energy, sleep, motivation, and the ability to find pleasure in things that usually matter. Many people live with it for months or years before seeking help, and many feel they should be able to manage alone. You do not have to.
Choose a depression route
Depression can show up as low mood, loss of interest, exhaustion, sleep change, postnatal distress, or more urgent symptoms. These routes separate common questions from help routes.
A depression, if it is not primarily a reaction to a life event, is called in psychiatry a major depressive disorder (MDD). It is a condition characterized by at least two weeks of low mood that is present across most situations.[1] It is often accompanied by low self-esteem, loss of interest in normally enjoyable activities, low energy, and psychological pain without a clear cause. There may also be false beliefs and – in the more severe cases – acoustic or visual hallucinations. Major depression needs to be differentiated from sadness. Depression often actually means the subjective absence of feelings, such as sadness. Those afflicted with depression often cannot feel themselves anymore as before, which can cause additional anxiety.
The discussion board is for general support and shared experience, not diagnosis or emergency care. If there may be immediate risk, contact local emergency services or a crisis support service rather than posting online.
Start here for depression
If you are comparing therapy options for depression, the guide CBT vs IPT gives a plain-language comparison of cognitive behavioural therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy, including when relationship patterns, grief, role changes or avoidance may matter.
Depression can affect mood, energy, sleep, appetite, concentration, relationships, and hope. Use the route below that sounds closest to what is happening now, then return to the longer article for background and detail.
Use the Mental Health Community for general support and shared experience, not emergency care. For anxiety-related discussion, the anxiety forum is a more focused starting point.
Expert sources and further reading
Reviewed May 3, 2026. This page is educational and cannot replace diagnosis, medical advice, psychotherapy, counselling, medication review, or emergency care. Sources differ by country because health systems and guidelines differ; if you are seeking personal care, use local professional advice and local urgent-support routes.
Burnout and depression can overlap. If low mood, loss of interest, hopelessness, or self-harm thoughts are present, treat that as more than ordinary work stress and seek appropriate help. If the main pattern is chronic pressure, exhaustion, reduced effectiveness, or difficulty recovering from work, the burnout, stress and emotional exhaustion guide may help you think through next steps.
Depression is common worldwide, but estimates vary by country, age group, measurement method, and whether studies measure symptoms, diagnosis, or service contact. For readers, the practical question is less the exact percentage and more whether low mood, loss of interest, hopelessness, sleep or appetite change, self-criticism, or loss of functioning is persisting and narrowing life. Current global and country-level resources are linked in the expert-source section above.
The many forms of depression
Depression can come in many forms and guises. A mental health professional can help you to identify more closely if you are suffering from depression and form which form. Some ups and downs are a normal part of life. Life does not come in a straight line, which is actually good news, because a straight line would mean that we miss out on the excitement, the feeling alive, that life also offers. However, if the lows, or the highs in those suffering from a bipolar condition, take on intensity or frequency that reduces your quality of life or ability to perform everyday tasks, you should consult a mental health professional.
Melancholia is sometimes seen as a mild form. The cliche image is sitting curled up by a window on a rainy day. Dysthymia is usually the term for episodes of depression that stay just below the clinical threshold. While major forms of depression can occur in one episode or in multiple episodes. Still, however intense it feels, talking to someone about it is usually a good idea, even in milder cases. The view from the outside can be helpful. We may be caught so much by our feeling low that it begins to feel normal. Good indications for depression are not just the feelings one experiences, which in severe forms of depression can be almost absent, but also one’s daily activities and interactions with others. This is where the view from the outside can be helpful. Some people have only one episode of depression in their life, some have episodes of depression separated by years in which they feel normal, while others have symptoms almost constantly. But in all these different forms, from the single case to the recurring depression, treatment is usually effective.
DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria
The DSM-V, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in its 5th edition, published by the American Psychiatric Association outlines the following criteria for a diagnosis of depression. The individual must be experiencing five or more symptoms during the same 2-week period and at least one of the symptoms should be either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure.
Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day.
Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day.
Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain, or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day.
A slowing down of thought and a reduction of physical movement (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down).
Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day.
Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every day.
Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day.
Recurrent thoughts of death, without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.
A diagnosis always needs to be carried out by a trained mental health professional.
Another form of depression is reactive depression, which occurs as part of a number of conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I discuss these forms of depression within the articles on these conditions. For PTSD, for example, you may want to look at one of my articles on PTSD:
Background
Network modeling has been applied in a range of trauma-exposed samples, yet results are limited by an over reliance on cross-sectional data. The current analyses used posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom data collected over a 5-year period to estimate a more robust between-subject network and an associated symptom change network.
Methods
A PTSD symptom network is measured ...
Interpersonal Psychotherapy is a non-exposure-based PTSD treatment. Patients focus on current interpersonal encounters rather than past traumas. This approach may avoid some of the disadvantages of exposure oriented therapies, such as their lack of focus on individual processes, high attrition rates, lower effectiveness for symptoms of depression, association with fear induction and possible short-lived positive ...
Suicidal Thoughts
Suicidal thoughts can be quite common when one feels low or helpless. However, it should always be taken seriously and a mental health professional should be consulted. It does not automatically one has to stay in a hospital. Rather, it should be seen as a sign that something needs to be done quickly to address the mental health condition and raise the quality of life. Between 2-7% of adults with major depression die by suicide [3] and up to 60% of people who die by suicide had depression or another mood disorder [4]. With the right treatment early enough most of these suicides could have been prevented. Unfortunately, access to healthcare, particularly in the mental health area, is not the same everywhere. But in any case, if you experience suicidal thoughts, you should consult a healthcare professional right away. You can always call and go to an A&E. If none is available quickly, then you should contact a suicide hotline while making arrangements to see a mental health professional in person as soon as possible. Many people have experienced suicidal thoughts in their life, and it can be a strong starting point for very successful therapy.
A Vicious Cycle
Many people with milder forms of depression eventually come out of an episode, either spontaneously or because they have a good support network, are able to manage their stress in life, look after their sleep hygiene, exercise (in healthy moderation), and meditate, for example. However, psychotherapy or counselling is helpful at all levels of depression, and it can help prevent another episode. The problem is that depression can lead to a vicious cycle. The consequences of depression on one’s social life, for example, can make it more difficult to get out of the depression. Major depressive disorder can negatively affect a person’s family, work or school life, sleeping or eating habits, and general health, which distances us from an important resource for better mental health, other people.
Causes
The cause is believed to be a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors. [1] Risk factors include a family history of the condition, major life changes, certain medications, chronic health problems, and substance abuse. [1] [2] About 40% of the risk appears to be related to genetics. [2]
Some other common symptoms of depression
Major depression significantly affects a person’s family and personal relationships, work or school life, sleeping and eating habits, and general health. [7] Its impact on functioning and well-being has been compared to that of other chronic medical conditions such as diabetes. A person having a major depressive episode usually exhibits a very low mood, which pervades all aspects of life, and unhedonia, the inability to experience pleasure in activities that were formerly enjoyed. Depressed people may be preoccupied with, or ruminate over, thoughts and feelings of worthlessness, inappropriate guilt or regret, helplessness, hopelessness, and self-hatred. [8] In severe cases, depressed people may have symptoms of psychosis. These symptoms include delusions or, less commonly, hallucinations, usually unpleasant.[9]
Other symptoms of depression include
poor concentration and memory
withdrawal from social situations and activities
reduced sex drive, irritability,
insomnia
and thoughts of death or suicide (which requires immediate professional help).
Insomnia is a common symptom. In the typical pattern, a person wakes very early and cannot get back to sleep.[25] Hypersomnia, or oversleeping, can also happen.[25] Some antidepressants may also cause insomnia due to their stimulating effect.[26]
A depressed person may report multiple physical symptoms such as
fatigue
headaches, or
digestive problems.
Appetite often decreases, with resulting weight loss, although increased appetite and weight gain occasionally occur. Family and friends may notice that the person’s behavior is either agitated or lethargic.
Causes
The biopsychosocial model proposes that biological, psychological, and social factors all play a role in causing depression.
On the biological side, the monoamine hypothesis is still the predominant biological explanation of depression. The monoamines are serotonine, norepinephrine, and dopamine. The antidepressants act on the neurotransmitter levels or on the receptors.
Serotonin is hypothesized to regulate other neurotransmitter systems; decreased serotonin activity may allow these systems to act in unusual and erratic ways.[43] According to this “permissive hypothesis”, depression arises when low serotonin levels promote low levels of norepinephrine, another monoamine neurotransmitter.[44] Some antidepressants enhance the levels of norepinephrine directly, whereas others raise the levels of dopamine, a third monoamine neurotransmitter. These observations gave rise to the monoamine hypothesis of depression. In its contemporary formulation, the monoamine hypothesis postulates that a deficiency of certain neurotransmitters is responsible for the corresponding features of depression.
What to expect from online therapy by video in Ireland: privacy, first session, suitability, German-speaking options, research evidence and booking routes.
Grief and depression can overlap. This guide explains the differences, warning signs, when to seek help, and how therapy may support recovery after loss.
Pizza—a universally adored delight, a culinary masterpiece that transcends cultural boundaries and tantalizes taste buds. Yet, in the realm of fears and anxieties, how does this beloved dish intertwine with our emotions and offer solace in times of distress?
The Comforting Aura of Pizza
Picture this: a warm, aromatic circle of dough topped with a medley of ...
Sexual orientation is a fundamental aspect of human identity, yet for many individuals, it can become a source of anxiety and stress. The complexities of societal expectations, self-acceptance, and potential discrimination can contribute to feelings of anxiety among individuals exploring or identifying with different sexual orientations. Understanding and addressing these concerns is crucial for mental ...
In the attached Reddit article, I hear again what I have been hearing often from patients. They feel as if there is something fundamentally wrong and defective with their brain and their mind. However, this line of thinking often leads to feeling even worse. In good psychotherapy, one important goal is to help you understand ...
The fear of missing out in young people has been linked to increased smartphone addiction. Increased smartphone use, in turn, has been linked to sleep difficulties and learning burnout, which is explored in more depth in the attached study. Probably, this phenomenon in various forms can also be extrapolated to people of all age groups.
The ...
Guest blog: Teacher’s experiences help students navigate mental health MHA Admin Wed, 09/27/2023 – 08:10 September 27, 2023 by Michael Cullinane
As a 46-year-old veteran high school teacher, I often worry my students will soon write me off with an “Okay, Boomer” response. Although a member of Generation X, technically I’m ...
This study explored some of the mechanisms that can be helpful in psychotherapy. It investigated the usefulness of a university counselling intervention by evaluating changes in psychological symptomatology before and after the therapeutic intervention and in the linguistic measures applied to clinical reports of the first and last sessions. The sample consisted of 88 university ...
BackgroundIn the past 10 years an increasing number of randomised trials have examined the effects of transdiagnostic treatments of patients with depression or anxiety. We conducted the first comprehensive meta-analysis of the outcomes of this emerging field.MethodsWe used the searches in PubMed, PsychINFO, Embase and the Cochrane library of an existing database of randomised trials ...
BackgroundThe extent to which digital media use by adolescents contributes to poor mental health, or vice-versa, remains unclear. The purpose of the present study is to clarify the strength and direction of associations between adolescent internet use and the development of depression symptoms using a longitudinal modeling approach. We also examine whether associations differ for ...
Depression and anxiety among college students is a growing public health problem. And new research suggests the problem may be worse for students who aren’t the same race as most of their peers. The new study found that students who were not the majority race at a predominantly white college reported significantly higher rates of ...
BackgroundCognitive processing therapy (CPT) and prolonged exposure (PE) delivered in an individual setting are efficacious and effective treatments for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Group CPT has been shown to be less efficacious than individual CPT, however, evidence regarding real-world effectiveness is limited.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective, observational, comparative effectiveness study including veterans that received ...
Conditions: Stress; Anxiety and FearInterventions: Behavioral: Music intervention only; Behavioral: Sports games intervention only; Behavioral: Music and sports games interventionSponsor: Wu JiarunCompleted
Background
Gray matter morphometry studies have lent seminal insights into the etiology of mental illness. Existing research has primarily focused on adults and then, typically on a single disorder. Examining brain characteristics in late childhood, when the brain is preparing to undergo significant adolescent reorganization and various forms of serious psychopathology are just first emerging, may ...
Background
Network modeling has been applied in a range of trauma-exposed samples, yet results are limited by an over reliance on cross-sectional data. The current analyses used posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom data collected over a 5-year period to estimate a more robust between-subject network and an associated symptom change network.
Methods
A PTSD symptom network is measured ...
Researchers found college students who tried to cut their social media use to 30 minutes per day scored significantly lower for anxiety, depression, loneliness and fear of missing out at the end of the two-week experiment and when compared to the control group.
This study investigated the prevalence and predictors of mental health issues, specifically anxiety, depression, and stress, among 706 Ukrainians from different age groups and regions, both men and women, in the midst of the military conflict with Russia. The survey was conducted six months after the conflict began, from August to October 2022. The results ...
Did you know that anxiety and depression might be playing a role for some people with long COVID? That’s what researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) found in their study. They discovered that patients who experienced difficulties with thinking during COVID-19 infection also tended to have lingering physical symptoms more frequently than ...
Viewing interactive art online can improve our mood and reduce anxiety. People reported significant improvements in mood and anxiety after just a few minutes of viewing an interactive Monet Water Lily art exhibition from Google Arts and Culture. The study also found that individuals with high levels of aesthetic responsiveness benefit more from online art ...
Publication date: June 2023Source: Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Volume 149Author(s): Rosalind D. Butterfield, Melanie Grad-Freilich, Jennifer S. Silk
Publication date: June 2023Source: Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Volume 149Author(s): Melanie L. Clark, Julie Abimanyi-Ochom, Ha Le, Brian Long, Carolyn Orr, Long Khanh-Dao Le
Publication date: Available online 5 May 2023Source: Neuroscience & Biobehavioral ReviewsAuthor(s): Catharina A. Hartman, Qi Chen, Berit Skretting Solberg, Ebba Du Rietz, Kari Klungsøyr, Samuele Cortese, Søren Dalsgaard, Jan Haavik, Marta Ribasés, Jeanette C. Mostert, Berit Libutzki, Sarah Kittel-Schneider, Bru Cormand, Melissa Vos, Henrik Larsson, Andreas Reif, Stephen V. Faraone, Alessio Bellato
This webinar focuses on the value of stratification as a tool for driving transformative change in early interventions for people with anxiety, depression, and psychosis.
Eating packaged foods like cereal and frozen meals has been associated with anxiety, depression and cognitive decline. Scientists are still piecing together why.
Background
Depression during pregnancy and after the birth of a child is highly prevalent and an important public health problem. Psychological interventions are the first-line treatment and, although a considerable number of randomized trials have been conducted, no recent comprehensive meta-analysis has evaluated treatment effects.
Methods
We used an existing database of randomized controlled trials of psychotherapies for ...
Background
Understanding the relationship between anxiety, depression and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) provides important clues to alleviate anxiety, depression and improve HRQOL in patients after severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). The aim of this study was to examine the effects of anxiety and depression on HRQOL in post-SAP patients using structural equation modeling.
Methods
A cross-sectional study design ...
The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the resulting consequences are in the center of political discussions, media, and likely individual thinking of the population in Germany. Yet, the impact of this prolonged exposure on mental health is not known hitherto.
Using the population based cohort study DigiHero from three federal states (Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony, and Bavaria), we ...
ObjectivesWe aimed to (1) describe the course of the emotional burden (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress) in a general population sample during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021 and (2) explore the association between emotional burden and a serologically proven infection with SARS-CoV-2.Study designThis longitudinal study involved a sample of community-dwelling persons aged ≥14 years ...
Background
There are relatively few studies to address mental health implications of self-affirming, especially across groups experiencing a chronic health condition. In this study, short- and longer-term effects of a brief self-affirmation intervention framed in terms of implementation intentions (if-then plans with self-affirming cognitions; S-AII) were evaluated against an active control group (non-affirming implementation intentions; N-AII), ...
Background
Openness on one’s health condition or (stigmatized) identity generally improves mental health. Intersex or differences of sex development (DSD) conditions have long been kept concealed and high levels of (internalizing) mental health problems are reported. This study examines the effects of condition openness on anxiety and depression and the role of mediating concepts in this ...
Background
Few studies have examined how parenting influences the associations between prenatal maternal stress and children’s mental health. The objectives of this study were to examine the sex-specific associations between prenatal maternal stress and child internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and to assess the moderating effects of parenting behaviors on these associations.
Methods
This study is based on 15 ...
Women with ADHD are six times more likely than neurotypical mothers to experience postpartum anxiety, and five times more likely to experience postpartum depression, according to a new Swedish study on PPD.
IntroductionPrevious studies using retrospective questionnaires have suggested a complex relationship between perceived stress and related negative emotions and emphasized their importance in mental health. However, how daily perceived stress, anxiety, and depression interact dynamically in a natural context remains largely unexplored.MethodsThis study conducted a longitudinal survey that applied experience sampling methodology to data from 141 ...
Women’s Health, Volume 19, Issue , January-December 2023. Background:Most evidence on the impact of pandemic on perinatal population’s experiences has reported such effects in a portion of the pandemic.Objectives:The aim of this study was to understand the postpartum people’s experiences of and responses to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic during the first year and to ...
… the aim of this study was to closely examine the relationships between (PSU) and anxiety and depression to identify the pathological mechanisms underpinning those relationships. A second aim was to identify important bridge nodes to identify potential targets for intervention. …
… Five strongest edges appeared within the communities in both the ...
In the Alpha-Stim Anxiety Insomnia and Depression cranial electrotherapy stimulation trial, Richard Morriss and colleagues reported no significant difference in their primary depression outcome between active and sham groups.1 Although not the headline of the article, 41% of recruited patients who received sham stimulation had remission of their depression. This remarkable result adds to the ...
Utilizing data from Twitter and applying natural language processing artificial intelligence algorithms, researchers created a new, accurate prediction model for depression and anxiety.
… Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) identifies neurophysiological differences between psychiatric disorders by assessing cortical hemodynamic function. Few trials have studied differences in brain functional activity between first-episode medication-naïve depression patients (FMD) and recurrent major depression (RMD). We aimed to determine the differences between FMD and RMD in oxygenated hemoglobin concentration (), and to investigate the ...
Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Ahead of Print. A resurgence of research has begun to systematically examine the relationship between psychedelic use and mental health and well-being. Although preliminary findings examining the therapeutic value of these substances show promise, the mechanisms through which psychedelic use may predict reduced mental distress remain poorly understood. To this end, ...
BackgroundSeveral large-scale studies and reviews have reported both negative and positive associations of social media use with well-being, suggesting that the findings are more complex and need more nuanced study. Moreover, there is little or no exploration of how social media use in adolescence influences flourishing, a more all-encompassing construct beyond well-being, including six sub-domains ...
Heart rate variability (HRV) is a known psychophysiological marker for diverse psychiatric symptoms. In this study, we aimed to explore the potential for clinical use of HRV by investigating the interrelationship between HRV indices and clinical measures mainly used to assess depressive and anxious symptoms. …
… Our study showed that HRV is an objective indicator ...
Two hundred patients with chronic insomnia disorder were recruited from a sleep disorder clinic. …
After controlling for the confounding variables (depression/anxiety symptoms and demographic characteristics), hierarchical multiple linear regression suggested the significant association of neuroticism (BFI), cognitive reappraisal (ERQ), personal standards (CPQ), evaluative concerns (CPQ), physical concerns (ASI), cognitive concerns (ASI), and repetitive negative thinking ...
Introduction: Different psychotherapeutic interventions for late-life depression (LLD) have been proposed, but their evaluation in large, multicenter trials is rare. Objective: The present study evaluated the efficacy of a specific cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for LLD (LLD-CBT) in comparison with a supportive unspecific intervention (SUI), both administered in a specialist psychiatric outpatient setting. … Conclusions: ...
BackgroundThe risk factors of progestational anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance in women with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) remain controversial, additional study is needed to investigate the incidence and risk factors of progestational anxiety, depression, and sleep quality in RPL women.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 663 non-pregnant RPL women in Northeast China ...
The COVID-19 pandemic has had numerous maternal and neonatal consequences, especially at the mental level. Pregnant women experience a rise in anxiety symptoms and prenatal stress.
The aim was to describe self-perceived health status, general stress and prenatal stress and to analyze relations and associations with sociodemographic factors. …
During the first trimester of gestation, prenatal concerns ...
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected millions of people worldwide. Because of the challenges associated with the pandemic, universal levels of happiness have likely depleted. We know little about how those with prior existing mental health concerns have responded to the pandemic. Using cross-sectional (study 1; N = 1,366) and longitudinal (study 2; N = 262) ...
Publication date: November 2022Source: Journal of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy, Volume 32, Issue 4Author(s): Liang Ma, Yanjie Wang, Le Pan, Zeshi Cui, Philip J. Schluter
SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection can result in long-term health consequences i.e., long COVID. The clinical manifestations of long COVID include depression, anxiety, brain fog with cognitive dysfunction, memory issues, and fatigue. These delayed effects of COVID-19 occur in up to 30% of people who have had an acute case of COVID-19. …
Conditions: Anxiety; DepressionInterventions: Behavioral: Chatbot; Behavioral: Control (book)Sponsors: University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw; Ministry of Science and Higher Education, PolandCompleted
Major depressive disorder (MDD) has a relapse rate that cannot be ignored and places a tremendous burden on the patient in the prevention and treatment process. Yoga, a combination of physical and mental exercises, is effective and acceptable for the adjunctive treatment of MDD. This study aimed to explore further the evidence of yoga’s efficacy ...
PurposeThe benefits of sports and exercise to the lives and rehabilitative journeys of military veterans with disabilities is increasingly well-documented but veteran sporting events remain underexplored. Addressing this topic, the current article seeks to provide insight into the health and well-being of Team Ukraine during a 5-week preparatory camp in the UK before attendance at ...
Increased symptoms of depression and anxiety were sustained at the later stage of the pandemic in healthy adolescents. Replication of these findings with a larger sample size would be required to draw firm conclusions.
… Lack of insight may affect patients’ motivation to seek treatment, resulting in poor clinical outcomes. … Patients with MDD, without insight, had significantly higher total and factor scores (anxiety/somatization, weight, retardation, and sleep) on the HAM-D and worse performance in the neurocognition task, compared to those with insight. Furthermore, binary logistic regression revealed that ...
This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of predictors of depression in patients after pacemaker implantation during the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to identifying specific depressive symptoms associated with quality of life (QOL) using network analysis (NA).
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person’s thoughts, behaviour, feelings, and sense of well-being. In its extreme form, depression leads to a state where one no longer feels one’s emotions, which is ultimately meant by the term ‘depression’, an overall decrease in feeling one’s emotions, including ...
https://youtu.be/CTXkyFbGqEg
For this video and more information about depression see the National Alliance on Mental Illness
Psychotherapy helps people with depression:
* Understand the memories, thoughts, emotions and behaviours that contribute to their depression
* Understand unresolved emotions and life events from one’s personal history which may contribute to the depression
* Understand interpersonal difficulties and maladaptive interpersonal interaction patterns
* ...
Building on the Basic Parameters: Living the Good Life Christian Jonathan Haverkampf, M.D. Living according to the basic parameters means an increased…
California Rocket Fuel: venlafaxine plus mirtazapine for depression, with scientific context, safety notes, and how psychotherapy or counselling may help.
For a supportive overview of psychosis, schizophrenia, medication, psychotherapy, recovery, and when to seek help, see the Psychosis and Schizophrenia…
[5] Global Burden of Disease Study 2013, Collaborators (22 August 2015). “Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 301 acute and chronic diseases and injuries in 188 countries, 1990-2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013.”. Lancet (London, England). 386 (9995): 743–800. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60692-4. PMID 26063472.
This article is solely a basis for academic discussion and no medical advice can be given in this article, nor should anything herein be construed as advice. Always consult a professional if you believe you might suffer from a physical or mental health condition.
Trademarks belong to their respective owners. They have not been checked.
Related depression guides
These pages give more detail on common depression questions, including Ireland-specific support routes and situations where prompt professional assessment may be important.
This page is public educational information about depression and related difficulties. It is not a diagnosis, emergency response, medication advice, or substitute for care from a qualified professional.
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Reflective resources for mood and meaning
Books and films cannot replace personal care, but they can sometimes help with language, perspective, and gentle reflection. The mental health movies guide and the guide to books for anxiety and overthinking show ways to use stories, workbooks, and reflective notes alongside psychotherapy or counselling.
Depression therapy in Dublin
For readers looking for personal support rather than only information, the depression service page explains therapy, safety boundaries, and appointment routes.
If you are reading about depression and medication terminology, DNRI/NDRI can be a confusing search term. The explainer below gives general educational context only. Whether a medication is suitable, safe, or worth changing needs to be discussed with a qualified prescriber.
Where sleep, routine, relationships, and mood changes seem closely connected, the guide to social rhythm therapy explains IPSRT and how rhythm disruption can be discussed safely in therapy, especially around bipolar disorder and mood stability.
Loss Of Interest And Depression
The anhedonia guide gives readers a dedicated route for loss of interest, emotional flatness, and reduced pleasure, with careful boundaries around depression, burnout, grief, trauma, medication effects, and medical review.
Eating disorders often co-occur with depression and anxiety. The dedicated guide explains anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, and where to get specialist help in Ireland.
Depression is a common mental health condition involving persistent low mood and/or loss of interest or pleasure, usually for at least two weeks, together with changes in sleep, appetite, energy, concentration, and self-worth. It is more than ordinary sadness, it is not a sign of weakness, and it is treatable.
What are the common symptoms of depression?
Symptoms can include low or flat mood, loss of interest or pleasure, tiredness or low energy, changes in sleep and appetite, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, hopelessness, and sometimes thoughts of death or self-harm. People can experience depression differently.
When should I seek help for depression?
It can help to speak with a GP, psychotherapist, or counsellor when low mood lasts more than about two weeks, keeps returning, or interferes with daily life. Any thoughts of suicide or self-harm are a reason to seek help straight away.
What helps with depression?
Many people are helped by talking therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy, and other psychotherapeutic approaches, along with steps like activity, routine, and social connection. Some also find antidepressant medication useful, which is a decision to discuss with a GP or a qualified prescriber. You can read about depression therapy and counselling in Dublin and online. The right combination depends on the person.
When should I get urgent help for depression?
Seek urgent help if you have thoughts of suicide or self-harm, feel unable to keep yourself safe, or are unable to cope. In Ireland you can contact the emergency services on 112 or 999, call the Samaritans free on 116 123 at any time, or Pieta on 1800 247 247. You can also use HSE urgent mental health support.
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