Depression

Everyone experiences some sort of unhappiness at some stage in their life, and may feel miserable for a short period of time; however, depression is a serious illness that is very different from simply feeling 'down' from time to time. Extreme feelings of sadness may develop, lasting weeks or even months, which are severe enough to interfere with everyday life. Sufferers may have to deal with feeling of hopelessness and helplessness, guilt, low self-esteem and may even have suicidal thoughts. In addition to its effect on a sufferer's mood, depression can also cause insomnia, constipation, weight loss and lack of energy.

It is thought that around 15 in every 100 people may suffer from a bout of depression at some point in their lives, with women making up two-thirds of these figures. However, it is not known whether this is because women are more prone to depression, or that they are simply more likely to seek help.

In this section, you can learn more about the causes and different types of depression, along with the symptoms they can produce. You'll also find information about how depression can be diagnosed and the different methods that may be used to treat it.