What is depression?

Depression is characterised by sad mood and/or a diminished ability to enjoy things, accompanied by other symptoms including:

• feelings of pessimism or hopelessness
• anxiety
• feeling worthless, helpless or feelings of guilt/self-blame
• reduced energy levels
• decreased sexual interest (libido )
• restlessness and irritability
• feeling tired but experiencing insomnia, early-morning waking or oversleeping
• changes in appetite or weight
• difficulty concentrating or poor memory
• periodic thoughts of death, suicide or feeling that life is not worth living.

It is very rare for someone to experience all of these symptoms, but depression is usually diagnosed when a number of them have been present every day for at least two weeks. Of course, having one symptom in isolation does not mean that a person is depressed because the majority of the symptoms are not exclusive to depression.