Depression is not a passing low mood. It is a treatable mental health condition that affects thinking, energy, sleep and daily functioning at the same time.

Coping with depression
Depression is not simply sadness; it affects thinking, energy and daily functioning together.

What are the symptoms?

Depression looks different from person to person. What matters is not any single symptom but a pattern that persists for at least two weeks and disrupts daily functioning.

Commonly reported symptoms

  • Persistent sadness, emptiness or hopelessness
  • Loss of interest in activities that used to be enjoyable
  • Fatigue, loss of energy, persistent exhaustion
  • A marked change in sleep — sleeping far too little or far too much
  • Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
  • Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
  • Marked change in appetite and weight
  • Thoughts of death or of harming oneself

Why does it develop?

Depression has no single cause. It emerges where predisposing, precipitating and maintaining factors come together.

  • Biological factors: changes in neurochemical regulation, chronic illness, certain medications
  • Genetic predisposition: a family history raises risk but is not determinative on its own
  • Environmental factors: loss, trauma, prolonged stress, unemployment, isolation
  • Psychological factors: low self-esteem, rigid negative thinking patterns, avoidance
A distinction worth making: feeling low after a difficult event is an expected response. To speak of depression, the symptoms have to persist and to interfere with functioning.

What actually helps?

Depression is treatable, and the approaches with the strongest evidence are well established.

  • Psychotherapy: cognitive behavioural therapy and behavioural activation are among the first-line approaches in mild to moderate depression
  • Medication: for moderate and severe presentations, following psychiatric assessment; its effect is greater when combined with therapy
  • Regular physical activity: shown to help as an adjunct, not as a replacement for therapy
  • Sleep and social rhythm: regular sleep and social contact reduce symptom severity

When to seek professional support

  1. The two-week ruleIf symptoms have lasted longer than two weeks and are present most days, seek an assessment.
  2. FunctioningIf work, study, relationships or self-care are noticeably affected, do not wait.
  3. When self-help is not enoughIf sleep, exercise and social support have been tried without change, the process needs professional structure.
  4. Thoughts of self-harmThoughts of death or of harming yourself are an emergency. Get help immediately.
Note: This article is for general information. It does not diagnose and is not a substitute for professional assessment. If your symptoms are making daily life difficult, consult a mental health professional. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, call your local emergency number — 112 in Türkiye — or go to the nearest emergency department.

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References

  1. American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed., text rev.). American Psychiatric Publishing.
  2. Cuijpers, P., van Straten, A., Andersson, G., & van Oppen, P. (2008). Psychotherapy for depression in adults: A meta-analysis of comparative outcome studies. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 76(6), 909–922.