Depression (mood)
Depression is a mental state of low mood and aversion to activity.[3] It affects more than 280 million people of all ages (about 3.5% of the global population).[4] Depression affects a person's thoughts, behavior, feelings, and sense of well-being.[5] Depressed people often experience loss of motivation or interest in, or reduced pleasure or joy from, experiences that would normally bring them pleasure or joy.[6]
"Hopelessness" redirects here. For the album, see Hopelessness (album).Depressed mood is a symptom of some mood disorders such as major depressive disorder and dysthymia;[7] it is a normal temporary reaction to life events, such as the loss of a loved one; and it is also a symptom of some physical diseases and a side effect of some drugs and medical treatments. It may feature sadness, difficulty in thinking and concentration and a significant increase or decrease in appetite and time spent sleeping. People experiencing depression may have feelings of dejection or hopelessness and may experience suicidal thoughts. It can either be short term or long term.
Measures
Measures of depression include, but are not limited to: Beck Depression Inventory-11 and the 9-item depression scale in the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9).[50] Both of these measures are psychological tests that ask personal questions of the participant, and have mostly been used to measure the severity of depression. The Beck Depression Inventory is a self-report scale that helps a therapist identify the patterns of depression symptoms and monitor recovery. The responses on this scale can be discussed in therapy to devise interventions for the most distressing symptoms of depression.[6]
Schools of depression theories include:
