Depression is a common mental health disorder in which a person experiences a persistently low mood, loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were previously enjoyable, reduced energy, feelings of guilt or low self-esteem, sleep or appetite disturbances, and difficulties with concentration. Anxiety symptoms often coexist.
Like many other medical conditions, depression does not have a single cause. It results from the interaction of genetic, biological, psychological, and social factors, which vary from person to person.
Epidemiological data indicate that approximately 6% of the general population suffers from clinically diagnosed depression. Women are affected about twice as often as men, and the disorder can occur at any age.
Types of Depression
Based on its underlying mechanism, depression can be classified as:
- Primary depression, when no other medical condition explains the symptoms.
- Secondary depression, when it occurs in the context of another illness, such as Parkinson’s disease or certain neurological or endocrine disorders.
According to severity and clinical presentation, depression may appear in the following forms:
- Dysthymia (Persistent Depressive Disorder): A chronic, mild to moderate form of depression that lasts for a long time and creates a constant feeling of reduced well-being and satisfaction with life, even though the person may still function in daily activities.
- Postpartum depression: Depression that develops after childbirth and during the postpartum period. This phase is associated with increased vulnerability due to significant hormonal, physical, and psychosocial changes.
- Psychotic depression: In addition to depressive symptoms, hallucinations (e.g., hearing voices without external stimuli) and/or delusions (fixed false beliefs such as excessive guilt or feelings of worthlessness) are present. This is a severe form that often requires close monitoring or hospitalization.
- Major depressive disorder: The most well-known form of severe depression, requiring specialized psychiatric evaluation and treatment.
- Atypical depression: A form that does not show the typical symptoms — for example, increased sleep and appetite instead of insomnia and loss of appetite, or prominent physical (somatic) complaints rather than emotional symptoms.
Treatment of depression
Depression is a condition that can be accurately diagnosed and effectively treated.
Treatment is individualized and may include:
- Psychotherapeutic interventions such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, individual or group psychotherapy
- Pharmacological treatment, when indicated
- Light therapy in selected forms of depression
- Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) as a modern, non-invasive option for treatment-resistant depression
The goal of treatment is not only symptom relief but also full restoration of functioning, quality of life, and psychological well-being.