Depression and low mood – signs, causes and the way back
Depression explained simply: the signs to look for, why it happens, how to help yourself or a loved one, and the treatments that help people recover.
Chapters on this topic
Chapter 9: Depression and Low Mood
Weather that stays : A sad week and a depressive episode are not the same season.
- 9.1 Normal sadness versus depression
- 9.2 Symptoms
- 9.3 Types and patterns
- 9.4 Causes and risk factors
- 9.5 Depression across age groups
- 9.6 Depression and suicide risk
- 9.7 Diagnosis and assessment
- 9.8 Treatment
- 9.9 Level-wise impact
- 9.10 Myths
- 9.11 The thinking patterns of depression
- 9.12 What you can do for yourself
- 9.13 Depression in men, women, and young people
- 9.14 A simple story
Stories from real life (6)
- Grey Weeks – Kavya, sixteen, used to dance in her room and chat for hours with her cousin in Chennai. Over the last two months she stopped…
- The Quiet Farmer – Ramesh, fifty-one, farms three acres near Nagpur. After two poor harvests and a loan he cannot repay, he has become silent and short-tempered. He…
- After the Baby – Fatima gave birth to a healthy girl six weeks ago in Dubai, far from her mother in Karachi. Everyone says she should be happy.…
- Grandfather Stops Reading – Joseph, seventy-three, lives with his son's family in Kochi. Since his wife died last year and his knees stopped him from his daily walk,…
- The Message at Midnight – Daniel, twenty-four, lives in Leeds and shares a flat with two friends. He has lost his job, his relationship ended, and for weeks he…
- Sunita, Age 45 – For months, forty-five-year-old Sunita felt as though she were walking through heavy mud. She was not just sad; she felt completely empty and constantly…
More topics
- What is mental health? A simple guide to the mind and who can help
- The brain, hormones and body chemistry behind your moods
- Emotions, anger and mood swings – understanding your feelings
- Stress – causes, symptoms and how to reduce stress at work and in exams
- Anxiety, panic attacks and fear – signs, causes and what helps
- Trauma, grief and loss – healing at your own pace
- Children, teenagers and parents – mental health at home and school
- Sleep problems, food and daily routine for a healthy mind
- Counselling, therapy and psychiatric medicines explained
- Helping a loved one with mental illness – family and relationships
- Mental health crisis and suicide prevention – what to do
- The five senses, the five elements and the mind
- Bhagavad Gita, yoga and Indian wisdom for mental peace
- Addiction to alcohol, tobacco, drugs and gambling – signs and recovery
- Phone addiction, social media and screen time – digital well-being
- Ageing well, memory loss and dementia – caring for elders