What is depression?

Author: SCIRE Community Team | Reviewer: Brad Hallam | Published: 7 October 2017 | Updated: 17 June 2020

Illustration accompanying What is depression?

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a psychological disorder which involves depressed mood, loss of interest in activities, and a number of other symptoms that affect emotions, thoughts, behaviours, and the body.

Depression is not simply ‘feeling blue’ or the sadness that can accompany life events like the death of a loved one. It is a serious medical condition involving persistent and widespread feelings of distress that affect all aspects of a person’s life.