Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSigns of DepressionSerious or Emergency SignsSigns in OthersSigns in FemalesSigns in MalesSigns in Children and TeensTreatmentNext in Depression GuideWhat Causes Depression?
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Signs of Depression
Serious or Emergency Signs
Signs in Others
Signs in Females
Signs in Males
Signs in Children and Teens
Treatment
Next in Depression Guide
Depression is a common mental disorder that affects about 5% of adults worldwide, with women affected in greater numbers than men.Recognizing depression signs and symptoms helps ensure a proper diagnosis and treatment.
“Symptoms” and “signs” of depression have different meanings. Symptoms of depression are what you experience yourself and may include feelings of sadness, guilt, hopelessness, apathy, difficulty concentrating, low self-worth, and more. In contrast, signs of depression are what you might observe in other people, such as neglecting activities that usually interest them, changes in appetite or sleep, or social withdrawal.
The way you experience depression can differ based on gender, age, race, ethnicity, and more.
In this article, learn more aboutmajor depressive disorder (MDD)and how to recognize signs someone is depressed.
Depression
How Do You Know If You Have the Signs of Depression?
Depression is much more than just “feeling sad.” The symptoms and signs ofdepressioncan be emotional, psychological, physical, and social. You do not need an official depression diagnosis to seek or begin treatment.
How Depression Is DiagnosedIf someone you care for is expressing signs of depression or you notice symptoms of depression in yourself, talk to a healthcare provider to receive a diagnosis. To diagnoseMDD, a mental health professional will do a mental status evaluation (MSE) and ask about historical and current symptoms. If you meet the MDD criteria outlined in theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition(DSM-5), you’ll be diagnosed with depression and offered support and treatment options.
How Depression Is Diagnosed
If someone you care for is expressing signs of depression or you notice symptoms of depression in yourself, talk to a healthcare provider to receive a diagnosis. To diagnoseMDD, a mental health professional will do a mental status evaluation (MSE) and ask about historical and current symptoms. If you meet the MDD criteria outlined in theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition(DSM-5), you’ll be diagnosed with depression and offered support and treatment options.
Emotional
Emotional depression symptoms relate to your feelings and moods. People around you may not recognize them, but you may notice symptoms in yourself. People with depression may experience the following emotions and feelings:
Psychological
Psychological depression symptoms go beyond your feelings and encompass how your mind operates, how and what you think about, and more.
Some psychological symptoms of depression are:
Thoughts are not observable to outsiders. However, in some cases, you may be able to observe the behaviors related to these thoughts and identify them as possible signs of depression in others.
Physical
Depression may be a mental disorder, but it can also manifest physically. Physical symptoms and signs of depression include the following:
Friends, colleagues, or family members may observe physical signs of depression in others. If you are worried that someone you care about is depressed, learn how to recognize the physical signs of this condition.
Social
Depression can also affect your social interactions and behaviors. Think about it this way: When you feel sad, guilty, or apathetic, you may be less likely to engage with your community or to want to do things that take up energy, especially things you no longer are interested in.
Some social symptoms of depression include:
Isolation, loneliness, and social disconnectedness have a bidirectional relationship with depression.This means that being isolated can increase your risk of developing depression, but being depressed can also lead to isolating behaviors—it goes both ways.
What Is Smiling Depression?
Serious or Emergency Signs of Depression
Depression is a serious mental health condition that can become emergent.
Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, and people with major depressive disorder have an elevated risk of suicide.
Warning signs that someone with depression may be considering suicide, and should be taken seriously include:
If you notice these signs in someone else, seek emergency help.
Seeking Help for Suicidal ThoughtsIf you or a loved one is having thoughts of suicide, call 911 immediately or call or text 988 to reach the988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Seeking Help for Suicidal Thoughts
If you or a loved one is having thoughts of suicide, call 911 immediately or call or text 988 to reach the988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
COVID Depression: Understanding the Connection and How to Cope
Recognizing Signs of Depression in Others
There are different signs and symptoms of depression, but not all symptoms of depression are observable to others. Some people with depression mask their emotions and may appear happy from the outside while they are experiencing feelings of depression on the inside.This is called “smiling depression.” That’s one reason it’s essential to recognize other signs of depression.
How Many Signs of Depression Are There?According to the DSM-5, you must have at least five of the eight listed symptoms to be diagnosed with depression.Of these symptoms, at least one must be either a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure.
How Many Signs of Depression Are There?
According to the DSM-5, you must have at least five of the eight listed symptoms to be diagnosed with depression.Of these symptoms, at least one must be either a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure.
If you are worried that someone you care about has depression, learn about the recognizable signs, particularly those listed in the “physical” and “social” symptoms sections above.
Examples that your loved one may have depression include:
If you notice any signs of depression in someone else, gently bring the subject up; they may benefit from your assistance in acknowledging their situation and seeking professional help.
Signs of Depression in Females
Depression is more common in females than males. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is about 50% more common in women than men and affects more than 10% of women who are pregnant or have recently given birth.
One factor making depression more common among women is the hormonal fluctuations that women go through. Pregnancy, childbirth, the menstrual cycle, and menopause cause significant hormonal and bodily shifts contributing to depression.
Types of depression unique to women include:
Understanding the Signs of Depression in Women
Signs of Depression in Males
Depression can present differently in men than women. Notably, some of the symptoms that men frequently experience are not included in the diagnostic criteria for depression, which may contribute to an underdiagnosis of the condition among men.
According to one study that used a nationally representative sample of 9,282 surveys, men experience the following symptoms at a higher rate than women:
One reason that men may present differently with depression is that feelings of sadness, tearfulness, and loneliness traditionally are not considered as fitting within the social norms of masculinity. Men may be socialized from an early age to mask these symptoms with more “masculine” alternatives of aggression and risk-taking.
Understanding the Signs of Depression in Men
Depression in Gender Nonconforming Individuals
Signs of Depression in Children and Teens
Depression, on average, first occurs during the late teens to mid-20s.However, a person of any age can have depression. This includes children and tweens. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 4.4% of children (age 3–17) had received a diagnosis of depression in their lifetime, and 15.1% of adolescents (age 12–17) had experienced a major depressive episode in the past year.
Depression can look different among children and teens than it does in adults. Some signs of depression to watch out for among young people are:
Is Depression Genetic?
Getting Treatment When You Have Signs of Depression
If you are expressing signs of depression, consult a licensed mental health provider about a diagnosis. This is important because some psychological, neurological, and physical conditions can cause symptoms similar to depression.
Treatment for depression can include:
Even without an official diagnosis of depression, many people also benefit from the treatments for mild to moderate depression.
How Depression Is Treated
Summary
Depression is a common but serious mental health condition that affects approximately 5% of adults worldwide. However, depression can present differently among men, women, and gender nonconforming individuals. It can also affect children, teens, older adults, and people of all races, ethnicities, and cultures. It’s essential to recognize the signs and symptoms of depression and seek support, resources, and treatment from a healthcare provider.
18 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.World Health Organization.Depressive disorder (depression).National Health Service.Symptoms - depression in adults.Martin LA, Neighbors HW, Griffith DM.The experience of symptoms of depression in men vs women: Analysis of the national comorbidity survey replication.JAMA Psychiatry. 2013;70(10):1100-1106. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.1985American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.American Psychiatric Association; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596American Psychiatric Association.What is depression?.National Institute of Mental Health.Depression.Santini ZI, Jose PE, York Cornwell E, et al.Social disconnectedness, perceived isolation, and symptoms of depression and anxiety among older Americans (Nshap): a longitudinal mediation analysis.The Lancet Public Health. 2020;5(1):e62-e70. doi: 10.1016/S2468-2667(19)30230-0Isometsä E.Suicidal behaviour in mood disorders–who, when, and why?.Can J Psychiatry. 2014;59(3):120-130. doi:10.1177/070674371405900303Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Facts about suicide.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk and protective factors.Shetty P, Mane A, Fulmali S, Uchit G.Understanding masked depression: A Clinical scenario.Indian J Psychiatry. 2018;60(1):97-102. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_272_17National Institute of Mental Health.Depression in women: 5 things you should know.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Depression among women.Becerra-Culqui TA, Liu Y, Nash R, et al.Mental health of transgender and gender nonconforming youth compared with their peers.Pediatrics. 2018;141(5):e20173845. doi:10.1542%2Fpeds.2017-3845Lin Y, Xie H, Huang Z, et al.The mental health of transgender and gender non-conforming people in China: A systematic review.The Lancet Public Health. 2021;6(12):e954-e969. doi:10.1016/S2468-2667(21)00236-XCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.Data and statistics on children’s mental health.Conway KP, Swendsen J, Husky MM, He JP, Merikangas KR.Association of lifetime mental disorders and subsequent alcohol and illicit drug use: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016 Apr;55(4):280-8. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2016.01.006National Health Service.Treatment - depression in adults.
18 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.World Health Organization.Depressive disorder (depression).National Health Service.Symptoms - depression in adults.Martin LA, Neighbors HW, Griffith DM.The experience of symptoms of depression in men vs women: Analysis of the national comorbidity survey replication.JAMA Psychiatry. 2013;70(10):1100-1106. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.1985American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.American Psychiatric Association; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596American Psychiatric Association.What is depression?.National Institute of Mental Health.Depression.Santini ZI, Jose PE, York Cornwell E, et al.Social disconnectedness, perceived isolation, and symptoms of depression and anxiety among older Americans (Nshap): a longitudinal mediation analysis.The Lancet Public Health. 2020;5(1):e62-e70. doi: 10.1016/S2468-2667(19)30230-0Isometsä E.Suicidal behaviour in mood disorders–who, when, and why?.Can J Psychiatry. 2014;59(3):120-130. doi:10.1177/070674371405900303Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Facts about suicide.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk and protective factors.Shetty P, Mane A, Fulmali S, Uchit G.Understanding masked depression: A Clinical scenario.Indian J Psychiatry. 2018;60(1):97-102. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_272_17National Institute of Mental Health.Depression in women: 5 things you should know.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Depression among women.Becerra-Culqui TA, Liu Y, Nash R, et al.Mental health of transgender and gender nonconforming youth compared with their peers.Pediatrics. 2018;141(5):e20173845. doi:10.1542%2Fpeds.2017-3845Lin Y, Xie H, Huang Z, et al.The mental health of transgender and gender non-conforming people in China: A systematic review.The Lancet Public Health. 2021;6(12):e954-e969. doi:10.1016/S2468-2667(21)00236-XCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.Data and statistics on children’s mental health.Conway KP, Swendsen J, Husky MM, He JP, Merikangas KR.Association of lifetime mental disorders and subsequent alcohol and illicit drug use: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016 Apr;55(4):280-8. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2016.01.006National Health Service.Treatment - depression in adults.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
World Health Organization.Depressive disorder (depression).National Health Service.Symptoms - depression in adults.Martin LA, Neighbors HW, Griffith DM.The experience of symptoms of depression in men vs women: Analysis of the national comorbidity survey replication.JAMA Psychiatry. 2013;70(10):1100-1106. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.1985American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.American Psychiatric Association; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596American Psychiatric Association.What is depression?.National Institute of Mental Health.Depression.Santini ZI, Jose PE, York Cornwell E, et al.Social disconnectedness, perceived isolation, and symptoms of depression and anxiety among older Americans (Nshap): a longitudinal mediation analysis.The Lancet Public Health. 2020;5(1):e62-e70. doi: 10.1016/S2468-2667(19)30230-0Isometsä E.Suicidal behaviour in mood disorders–who, when, and why?.Can J Psychiatry. 2014;59(3):120-130. doi:10.1177/070674371405900303Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Facts about suicide.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk and protective factors.Shetty P, Mane A, Fulmali S, Uchit G.Understanding masked depression: A Clinical scenario.Indian J Psychiatry. 2018;60(1):97-102. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_272_17National Institute of Mental Health.Depression in women: 5 things you should know.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Depression among women.Becerra-Culqui TA, Liu Y, Nash R, et al.Mental health of transgender and gender nonconforming youth compared with their peers.Pediatrics. 2018;141(5):e20173845. doi:10.1542%2Fpeds.2017-3845Lin Y, Xie H, Huang Z, et al.The mental health of transgender and gender non-conforming people in China: A systematic review.The Lancet Public Health. 2021;6(12):e954-e969. doi:10.1016/S2468-2667(21)00236-XCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.Data and statistics on children’s mental health.Conway KP, Swendsen J, Husky MM, He JP, Merikangas KR.Association of lifetime mental disorders and subsequent alcohol and illicit drug use: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016 Apr;55(4):280-8. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2016.01.006National Health Service.Treatment - depression in adults.
World Health Organization.Depressive disorder (depression).
National Health Service.Symptoms - depression in adults.
Martin LA, Neighbors HW, Griffith DM.The experience of symptoms of depression in men vs women: Analysis of the national comorbidity survey replication.JAMA Psychiatry. 2013;70(10):1100-1106. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.1985
American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.American Psychiatric Association; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
American Psychiatric Association.What is depression?.
National Institute of Mental Health.Depression.
Santini ZI, Jose PE, York Cornwell E, et al.Social disconnectedness, perceived isolation, and symptoms of depression and anxiety among older Americans (Nshap): a longitudinal mediation analysis.The Lancet Public Health. 2020;5(1):e62-e70. doi: 10.1016/S2468-2667(19)30230-0
Isometsä E.Suicidal behaviour in mood disorders–who, when, and why?.Can J Psychiatry. 2014;59(3):120-130. doi:10.1177/070674371405900303
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Facts about suicide.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk and protective factors.
Shetty P, Mane A, Fulmali S, Uchit G.Understanding masked depression: A Clinical scenario.Indian J Psychiatry. 2018;60(1):97-102. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_272_17
National Institute of Mental Health.Depression in women: 5 things you should know.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Depression among women.
Becerra-Culqui TA, Liu Y, Nash R, et al.Mental health of transgender and gender nonconforming youth compared with their peers.Pediatrics. 2018;141(5):e20173845. doi:10.1542%2Fpeds.2017-3845
Lin Y, Xie H, Huang Z, et al.The mental health of transgender and gender non-conforming people in China: A systematic review.The Lancet Public Health. 2021;6(12):e954-e969. doi:10.1016/S2468-2667(21)00236-X
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Data and statistics on children’s mental health.
Conway KP, Swendsen J, Husky MM, He JP, Merikangas KR.Association of lifetime mental disorders and subsequent alcohol and illicit drug use: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016 Apr;55(4):280-8. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2016.01.006
National Health Service.Treatment - depression in adults.
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