Depression

Everyone feels sad sometimes. You may feel sad for different reasons. You may have experienced major life changes or disappointing events.

Sadness may cause you to react in different ways. You might cry, listen to sad music, or spend more time alone.

Being sad is a normal reaction in difficult times. But usually, the sadness goes away. When a sad mood lasts for 2 weeks or more and interferes with normal, everyday functioning, you may be depressed.

Symptoms of depression include:

• Feeling sad, empty, or hopeless often or all the time
• Not wanting to do activities that used to be fun
• Weight gain or loss, or changes in appetite
• Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, or sleeping too much
• Feeling irritable‚ easily frustrated‚ or restless
• Lack of energy or feeling tired
• Feeling worthless or overly guilty
• Trouble concentrating, remembering things, or making decisions
• Thinking about suicide or hurting yourself

If you are experiencing several of these symptoms nearly every day for 2 weeks or more and they interfere with day-to-day activities or cause significant distress, talk to your health care provider.

This information is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis or suggested treatments for clinical depression and cannot take the place of seeing a mental health professional.

https://www.cdc.gov/howrightnow/emotion/sadness/