What is depression?

Depression is a type of mental health condition called a mood disorder. Mood disorders occur when changes in mood go beyond the normal ups and downs we all experience from day to day. Episodes of depression last at least two weeks at a time, but sometimes they can last for months or even years.

Depression is more than sadness

Depression goes way beyond just feeling sad. People can experience different feelings when they are depressed, like sadness, anger, exhaustion, loneliness, or anhedonia, which is feeling numb or not feeling pleasure.

Some of the symptoms that people with depression experience include:

• Feeling or appearing low, empty inside, or irritable most of the day, every day
• Losing interest in activities you would normally enjoy
• Changes in appetite or weight—eating more or less; gaining or losing weight
• Changes in sleep—either not being able to sleep or sleeping too much
• Changes in activity—feeling restless inside or feeling sluggish
• Feeling exhausted even when you seem to be getting enough sleep
• Speaking or moving slowly, fidgeting, or pacing
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions
• Thoughts of death or suicide

You don’t have to experience all of these to be depressed. Everyone’s experience of depression is slightly different, but having a cluster of these experiences can make you feel more certain that it is depression. And not something else like exhaustion from stressful life changes.

If any of the symptoms in this article sound like your experiences, then it may be worth it to take our depression test. While it’s not an official diagnosis, it can help you reflect on your experiences and figure out next steps.

Is it depression or something else?

Before you would actually get “diagnosed with depression” or even take medication, you’d want to make sure your experiences are not explained by something else. Some things can make it seem like you have depression when really something else is going on. There are many life situations, mental health conditions, or physical illnesses that can feel like depression.

For example:

• Using drugs or medications that make you feel low. If a medication is making you feel depressed, you should talk to your doctor about it. If you are taking drugs or drinking lots of alcohol, they may be causing symptoms of depression—or you may be trying to self-medicate for depression or another mental illness.
• Medical problems like chronic pain or thyroid problems can mimic depression. Sometimes treating an underlying medical problem can make the depression go away or become less severe. For example, untreated thyroid disorders can cause depressive symptoms, and many people do not know they have a thyroid disorder until they see their doctor. It’s important to talk to your doctor, so they can run tests and make sure your physical condition isn’t the cause of your depression symptoms.
• Experiencing grief can feel like depression. If you’ve lost a loved one or are upset about a big change in your life, you can feel extremely sad for a while. If it doesn’t get better after a long time (more than two months), it can turn into full-blown depression.

For people who have depression, the symptoms cause serious problems in their lives. The depression may cause them to withdraw from their family, friends, or partners. They may have a hard time in school or work. They might miss assignments, can’t concentrate on their work, or feel overwhelmed by activities. Or they may not be able to make it to school or work at all.

Having a conversation with a mental health professional could help you explore depression and life changes. While having a conversation with a doctor would help explore other physical health “rule outs” you want to check before starting other medical treatment options.

Depression and thoughts of death

Some people with depression often think about death. This is called suicidal ideation. There are two types of suicidal ideation—passive and active. Passive suicidal ideation is common. These are thoughts like I want to die, I don’t want to live, but I don’t want to die, or thinking about not existing. These thoughts can be overwhelming and scary, but they eventually do pass.

Active suicidal ideation is a serious concern. This means that someone is no longer just thinking about death, but they are actively planning to die by suicide. Someone experiencing active suicidal ideation needs support immediately and to reach out and get help. There are many things, like crisis and safety plans, hotlines and warmlines, peer support, and more, that can help keep them safe.

If you need immediate help, you can reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 or using the chat box at 988lifeline.org/chat. You can also text “MHA” to 741-741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. Warmlines are an excellent place for non-crisis support.

Depression and other mental health conditions

Depression can co-occur with or be a symptom of another mental health condition. This means that you can experience depression and another mental illness at the same time. For example, it’s common for many people to have both depression and anxiety. Also, people with bipolar disorder experience alternating episodes of depression and mania.

Thinking about your experiences can help you determine if you are experiencing depression and another condition. Think about your symptoms, feelings, thoughts, and behaviors—are they consistent or do they change? You can also take some of our other mental health tests if you think you are experiencing more than just depression.

Remember, it’s possible to have depression and experience difficult life circumstances. Or have depression and a different mental health condition, or a physical health condition. Reflecting on your experiences and talking to your doctor or mental health professional can help you figure out what is going on.

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