Understanding
Understanding depression
Depression is more than sadness. It is a persistent disruption in mood, energy, motivation, and the ability to experience pleasure. For high-functioning adults, depression often manifests as a heaviness. A sense that everything requires more effort than it should, that the things that used to matter have lost their weight.
Major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), and adjustment disorders with depressed mood are among the most common presentations. Each has different implications for treatment, which is why a thorough evaluation is the starting point. Not a prescription.