What is Depression?
Depression can affect people in quite different ways. For some, it involves persistent sadness, emotional pain or hopelessness. For others, it may feel more like emptiness or numbness, losing interest or pleasure in things, having little energy or motivation, or finding it increasingly difficult to engage with everyday life.
It can affect sleep, appetite, concentration and the ability to think clearly, as well as relationships, work or study. Some people become more withdrawn, self-critical or weighed down by guilt, while others describe feeling slowed down or as though they are simply going through the motions.
These experiences can vary in intensity and combination, but when they persist and begin to significantly affect everyday life, they may be part of depression. Psychological support can help people understand what is happening and find ways forward.