What Is Depression?

But when intense sadness -- including feeling helpless, hopeless, and worthless -- lasts for many days to weeks and keeps you from living your life, it may be something more than sadness. You could have clinical depression -- a treatable medical condition.

How Do I Know If I Have Depression?

According to the DSM-5, a manual doctors use to diagnose mental disorders, you have depression when you have five or more of these symptoms for at least 2 weeks:

• A depressed mood during most of the day, especially in the morning
• You feel tired or have a lack of energy almost every day.
• You feel worthless or guilty almost every day.
• You have a hard time focusing, remembering details, and making decisions.
• You can’t sleep or you sleep too much almost every day.
• You have almost no interest or pleasure in many activities nearly every day.
• You think often about death or suicide (not just a fear of death).
• You feel restless or slowed down.
• You’ve lost or gained weight.