Depression

Depression is a mental health problem that causes a low mood and a loss of interest in things you would usually enjoy, as well as a range of other changes to how you feel and behave.

There is a wide spectrum of impact for depression, and how long it lasts. One person may be able to go to work with only a hint of sadness and others may be completely debilitated and even suicidal.

We all experience sadness or low mood from time to time. What makes it different from depression is when our feelings become so bad that they interfere with the functioning of daily life, or if those feelings of sadness last for several weeks or months.