Understanding Depression

Depression is more than just feeling down or having a bad day — it’s a persistent, often overwhelming emotional state that affects how you feel, think, and function. It can develop gradually or arrive all at once, and it doesn’t always have a clear cause.

How It Can Show Up

Depression may look different from person to person. You might experience:

• Ongoing sadness, numbness, or emptiness

• Fatigue or lack of motivation

• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much

• Feeling disconnected from life, people, or yourself

• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

• Loss of interest in things you once enjoyed

• Self-criticism, guilt, or hopelessness

• Physical symptoms like aches, pains, or appetite changes

• Thoughts of death or wanting to disappear

Not everyone experiences all these symptoms, and sometimes, depression hides behind a smile or a busy schedule.

Who It Affects

Depression can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, culture, or background. It often appears during or after stressful life events, health issues, relationship difficulties, or seemingly “out of nowhere.”