It is a common but serious mood disorder that needs treatment. What is depression? Learn more about the causes, symptoms, types, and treatments for depression. It may be caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Depression differs from simple grief or mourning and can be classified into different types. If depression or mania springs from an underlying medical problem, the mood changes should disappear after the medical condition is treated. It causes severe symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, and working. Those who suffer from depression experience persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness and lose interest in activities they once enjoyed. Depression, otherwise known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression, is a common and serious mood disorder. Depression is a disorder that affects how you think, feel, and act. It is defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association, as a period of at least two weeks during which you feel sadness along with other key symptoms, such as low energy and a lack of interest in daily activities. Depression is more than just feeling sad or blue. Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest and can interfere with your daily functioning. In its mildest form, depression can mean just being in low spirits. Postpartum Depression . Depression is a low mood that lasts for a long time, and affects your everyday life. If you have hypothyroidism, for example, lethargy and depression often lift once treatment regulates the level of thyroid hormone in your blood. Postpartum depression is increasingly common. 2 Everyone is different‚ but the following factors may increase a person’s chances of becoming depressed: 1 Having blood relatives who have had depression Manic depression consists of periods of mania or hypomania, where you feel very happy, alternating with episodes of depression. Esketamine is a newer FDA-approved medication for treatment-resistant depression delivered as a nasal spray in a doctor’s office, clinic, or hospital. Discover the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression and seek early medical treatment to keep it from affecting your life. Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions, affecting more than 264 million people worldwide. Depression, in psychology, a mood or emotional state marked by feelings of low self-worth or guilt and a reduced ability to enjoy life. What Causes Depression? 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