What is depression? Depression (also known as major depression, major depressive disorder, or clinical depression) is a common but serious mood disorder. It causes severe symptoms that affect how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working. To be diagnosed with depression, the symptoms must be present for at least 2 weeks. There are different types of depression, some of which develop due to specific circumstances. Major depression includes symptoms of depressed mood or loss of interest, most of the time for at least 2 weeks, that interfere with daily activities. Persistent depressive disorder which may not be as severe but can last much longer; up to two years.  Seasonal affective disorder comes and goes with the seasons. If you have been experiencing some of the following signs and symptoms, most of the day, nearly every day, for at least 2 weeks, you may be experiencing depression: Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood, feelings of hopelessness or pessimism, feelings of irritability, frustration, or restlessness, feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness, loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities, decreased energy, fatigue, or feeling slowed down, difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions, difficulty sleeping, waking early in the morning, or oversleeping, changes in appetite or unplanned weight changes, physical aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not have a clear physical cause and do not go away with treatment, thoughts of death or suicide or suicide attempts.

 

Persistent depressive disorder (also called dysthymia or dysthymic disorder) consists of less severe symptoms of depression that last much longer, usually for at least 2 years. Perinatal depression is depression that occurs during or after pregnancy. Depression that begins during pregnancy is prenatal depression and depression that begins after the baby is born is postpartum depression. Seasonal affective disorder is depression that comes and goes with the seasons, with symptoms typically starting in the late fall and early winter and going away during the spring and summer. Depression with symptoms of psychosis is a severe form of depression in which a person experiences psychosis symptoms, such as delusions (disturbing, false fixed beliefs) or hallucinations (hearing or seeing things others do not hear or see).

​

Anxiety disorders are a cluster of mental disorders characterized by significant and uncontrollable feelings of anxiety and fear, such that a person’s social, occupational, and personal functions are significantly impaired.  Anxiety may cause physical and cognitive symptoms, such as restlessness, irritability, easy fatigue, difficulty concentrating, increased heard rate, chest pain, abdominal pain, and a variety of other symptoms that may vary based on the individual .