What Is Depression?

Depressive disorder, or depression, is a mental health condition that causes long-lasting sadness or a lack of interest in activities you used to enjoy. Depression can also alter your thoughts and behaviors and limit your ability to function. There's more than one type of depression. Symptoms of each depressive disorder are similar, but they each have distinct features.

There's no singular cause of depression. A mix of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors can increase your risk of symptoms. Depression is one of the more treatable mental health conditions. Treatments range from medications to therapy and can significantly improve your quality of life.

Depression affects 17 million adults in the United States. People of any age can experience symptoms. Depression can be hard to endure, but the good news is that you do not have to go through the condition all alone. Read on to learn about depression, including causes, symptoms, treatments, and more.

Types of Depression

There are a few major classifications of depression. Types of depression include:

• Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD): This affects children and adolescents from ages 6–8. DMDD features chronic irritability that frequently results in verbal or behavioral temper tantrums three or more times per week.
• Major depressive disorder (MDD): This causes symptoms that last for at least two weeks. Symptoms may include extreme sadness, inability to carry out daily tasks, hopelessness, and a loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy.
• Persistent depressive disorder (PDD): This type of depression lasts for at least two years for adults. You must have depressive moods and thoughts on most days to receive a PMDD diagnosis.
• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD): This occurs when you experience depressive or other mood-related symptoms before your period.
• Postpartum depression (PPD): This type of depression occurs in people who recently gave birth.
• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): Symptoms usually develop when the seasons change, most commonly during the colder months.

Depressive disorder can also result from another health condition. Symptoms may develop secondary to other health issues, such as cancer or chronic pain.

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Depression Symptoms

You may have a major depressive disorder if you experience symptoms on more days than not for at least two weeks. Depression symptoms include:

• A low mood or constant sadness
• Appetite changes that lead to unintentional weight loss or gain
• Changes in movement (e.g., restlessness or slow speech and movement)
• Difficulty concentrating, thinking, or making decisions
• Feeling extremely tired or not having energy
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Lack of interest or pleasure in previously-enjoyed activities
• Low libido, or sex drive
• Sleep issues (i.e., being unable to sleep or sleeping too much)
• Thinking about suicide or self-harm
  

How long symptoms last, how frequently they occur, and how severe they are will vary from person to person. You can still have depression even if you do not experience all nine symptoms, regardless of how severe they are.

What Causes Depression?

A combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors can increase your risk of a depressive disorder. Depression has been linked to neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers, which can affect the way you feel and behave. These messengers include serotonin, dopamine, and epinephrine.

You may experience one or more mood disorders when these neurotransmitters are out of balance. A chemical imbalance plays just one role in your risk of depression. Environmental factors and stressful life events can also trigger symptoms.

Risk Factors

Depression comes with a number of risk factors. You may be at an increased risk of depression if you:

• Are a woman
• Are dealing with stressful life events (e.g., death of a loved one or divorce), trauma (e.g., abuse or being in a car accident), or difficult societal issues (e.g., war or natural disaster)
• Drink alcohol, use drugs, or have a pre-existing diagnosis of substance use disorder (SUD)
• Have a family history of depression or other mental health conditions
• Live with chronic health conditions (e.g., cancer or chronic pain)
• Received a diagnosis for other Parkinson's disease or a traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Recently gave birth

How Is Depression Diagnosed?

There are no lab tests that can diagnose depression. Healthcare providers and mental health specialists instead use other diagnostic tools. Mental health specialists include psychologists, psychiatrists, and licensed counselors.

The following can give you an accurate depression diagnosis:

• Getting to know your social history, including your lifestyle habits and stressors
• Giving you depression questionnaires (e.g., Beck's Depression Inventory) to screen you for depression and learn about your symptoms
• Ordering blood or imaging tests to rule out other diseases that may cause depression
• Learning about your personal and family medical history
• Performing a physical exam to screen for other diseases that mimic depression
  

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Treatments for Depression

The primary goals of treatment are to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. The earlier you start treatments, the more effectively they can relieve symptoms. 

There are several types of treatments for depression: medication, psychotherapy, and brain stimulation therapies. Medications and psychotherapy are typically the first lines of treatment. Brain stimulation therapies become an option only if you are not responding well to other treatments.

Medications

A healthcare provider can prescribe you medication to improve symptoms. The most common medications used for depression are called antidepressants. These drugs increase your brain's serotonin, or the "feel-good" hormone.

A healthcare provider may prescribe other medications, depending on your symptoms and treatment plan. These include:

• Atypical antidepressants, such as norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs)
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
• Serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy (or talk therapy) is a form of treatment that allows you to meet with a licensed mental health specialist. You'll talk about your feelings, thoughts, and stressors. A therapist can use a combination of therapy techniques that help meet your treatment goals and reduce symptoms.

Common types of psychotherapy include:

• Behavioral therapy
• Cognitive therapy
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT)
• Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT)
• Psychodynamic therapy
• Supportive therapy

Brain Stimulation Therapy

A healthcare provider may advise brain stimulation therapy if you do not respond well to other treatments. This treatment uses electrodes that send electric impulses to your brain. The purpose is to target certain areas of the brain and change the way it functions.

The most commonly used therapy is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). More research on brain stimulation therapy is needed to understand the benefits and side effects.

How To Prevent Depression

You cannot always prevent depression, especially since mental health can fluctuate throughout your life. Many people have little to no control over other factors like genetics, childhood trauma, and major stressful life events. These factors can all increase your risk of a depressive disorder.

You can still reduce how often you experience depressive episodes by prioritizing self-care and treating symptoms. Prevent depressive episodes by:

• Being outside in nature and getting sunlight
• Eating plenty of nutritious foods
• Getting enough sleep each night
• Going to therapy and learning about healthy stress management techniques
• Keeping your body moving with physical activity
• Limiting time on social media
• Making time for hobbies you enjoy
• Reducing your alcohol or tobacco use
• Spending time with your loved ones and getting social support
• Taking any medications as prescribed
  

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Related Conditions

It's common for other health conditions to mimic depression symptoms or occur at the same time. That's why a healthcare provider will ask you about your medical and social history. They'll be able to make an accurate diagnosis and rule out the possibility of other conditions.

Related conditions include:

• Anxiety disorders: Anxiety and depression often co-occur. Anxiety causes long-lasting, intense feelings of fear, worry, or panic.
• Dementia: Some evidence suggests that people with depression are more than twice as likely as others to develop dementia. The exact link between depression and dementia is unclear, but the chemical imbalance in the brain may play a role.
• Heart disease: People with a depressive disorder are about 64% more likely to develop coronary artery disease (CAD) than those without. CAD damages the blood vessels that supply your heart. Depression and CAD share several risk factors, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity.
• Schizophrenia: Depression symptoms are common in people with schizophrenia, which causes delusions and hallucinations. Some evidence suggests that severe distress may lead to schizophrenia if untreated.
• Sleep disorders: Depression can cause trouble falling or staying asleep, which may cause insomnia in some people.

Living With Depression

There's no surefire cure for depression, but treatments are effective in treating symptoms. Depression can come and go throughout your life. Your moods and mental health can change.

Depression is also a leading cause of nearly 40,000 deaths by suicide each year. Getting early treatment for depression can significantly reduce symptoms. Practicing stress management techniques and making time to take care of yourself can improve your quality of life.

You may also consider:

• Establishing a support system of people who are close to you and keeping them updated about your symptoms
• Finding peer support groups for people with depression or those who experience other stressors
• Staying in touch with a healthcare provider and playing an active role in decisions about your treatment plan

These actions might make it less difficult to open up about how you are feeling. You may find opportunities to get the help and healing you need. Remember that you do not have to go through depression all alone, even though it affects you individually.