Signs and symptoms of depression
If low mood is having an impact on your life, you might be wondering whether you’re experiencing depression. Find out more about the signs and symptoms, along with commonly related health issues.
Depression is a common mental health condition that can affect how you think, feel and behave. It can also affect your physical health, relationships and everyday life.
The symptoms of depression can vary from person to person; you may experience changes in your mood, thoughts, sleep, appetite, energy levels or motivation. Some people experience several symptoms, while others may notice only a few.
If you’re wondering whether what you’re experiencing could be depression, recognising the signs can be a useful first step. You don’t need to wait until your symptoms become severe before seeking support.
Take our free, confidential depression test to help you understand more about the symptoms you’re experiencing and inform any next steps.
What are the symptoms of depression?
Depression can cause emotional, psychological, physical and behavioural changes. Symptoms may affect how you feel about yourself, how you interact with other people and how you manage everyday activities.
You don’t need to experience all of the following symptoms to have depression. The symptoms you experience, their severity and how they affect your life can vary.
Psychological symptoms can affect your thoughts, emotions and sense of self. You may:
Feel persistently sad, low or empty
Lose interest or pleasure in activities you usually enjoy
Feel hopeless about the future
Feel worthless, guilty or like a burden to others
Be more irritable or frustrated than usual
Find it difficult to concentrate, remember things or make decisions
Experience low self-esteem or increased self-criticism
Feel emotionally numb or disconnected
Have thoughts about death, dying or suicide
Depression can also affect your physical health. You may experience:
Tiredness or a lack of energy
Changes in sleep, including sleeping too much or having difficulty sleeping
Changes in appetite or weight
Unexplained aches and pains
Headaches or digestive problems
Feeling physically slowed down or restless
Reduced sex drive
Depression can change the way you behave and interact with other people. You may:
Withdraw from friends, family or social activities
Stop doing things you normally enjoy
Find it difficult to keep up with work, education or household responsibilities
Spend more time alone
Put off tasks or struggle to get started
Cry more easily or become more irritable
Use alcohol or other substances to cope with difficult feelings
Find it harder to maintain relationships or communicate with others
Physical and behavioural symptoms may be present without you realising your mood is what is contributing to them. Some people seek help for physical symptoms without realising depression could be the underlying cause.
How to recognise depression in yourself or someone else
Depression doesn’t look the same in everybody. Sometimes it’s hard to spot, especially in those who appear to be coping with everyday life while privately experiencing significant symptoms. Some people describe this as high-functioning depression, although this isn’t a formal clinical diagnosis.
If you’re wondering whether you may be depressed, you might notice that:
You’ve been feeling low, empty, hopeless or unusually irritable most days
Things you normally enjoy no longer feel enjoyable
Your sleep, appetite or energy levels have changed
Everyday tasks feel harder than they used to
You’re withdrawing from people or activities
You’re finding it harder to concentrate or make decisions
You’re being much more critical of yourself
You’re using alcohol or other substances more often to cope
You’re experiencing thoughts about death or suicide
It can also be difficult to recognise depression in someone else. You might notice changes in their behaviour, such as withdrawing from others, losing interest in things they usually enjoy, seeming unusually tired or irritable, or struggling with everyday responsibilities.
If you’d like to understand how depression is formally assessed, you can also read our guide to depression diagnosis.
How symptoms vary in severity
Depression can range from mild to severe. The severity of depression is generally considered in terms of the number and intensity of symptoms you’re experiencing and how much they affect your everyday life.
Mild depression
With mild depression, you may experience several symptoms but still be able to manage many areas of your everyday life. However, things may require more effort than usual and activities you normally enjoy may feel less rewarding.
Moderate depression
Moderate depression can have a greater impact on your daily life. Symptoms may make it more difficult to work, study, maintain relationships or manage everyday responsibilities.
Severe depression
Severe depression can significantly affect your ability to manage and cope with everyday life. Symptoms may be intense and can include profound hopelessness, loss of interest, difficulty functioning and thoughts of death or suicide.
Depression can become more severe over time, but symptoms don’t always fit into one category. If your symptoms are affecting your everyday life, it's worth seeking professional support regardless of how severe you think they are.
For more information, see our guides to the different types of depression, including clinical depression and psychotic depression.
Is it depression or something else?
Feeling low, tired or unmotivated doesn’t necessarily mean you have depression. Many experiences and health conditions can cause symptoms that overlap with depression.
Understanding the causes of depression can also help explain why symptoms develop and why they can vary from person to person.
Could it be grief?
Grief can cause sadness, loss of interest, changes in sleep and appetite, tiredness and difficulty concentrating. These experiences can be intense, particularly after losing someone or something important to you.
Grief and depression can sometimes occur together. If difficult feelings are persistent, worsening or significantly affecting your ability to function, it may be helpful to seek professional support.
Could it be burnout?
Long periods of stress can leave you feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, irritable and unable to cope. Burnout can also involve losing motivation or withdrawing from activities.
Stress and burnout can contribute to depression, so it isn't always possible to distinguish between them without considering the wider picture.
Could it be hormonal changes?
Hormonal changes can affect mood, sleep, energy and appetite. For some people, symptoms may be linked to periods, pregnancy, the postnatal period or menopause.
If you notice significant or persistent changes in your mood, speak to your GP or another healthcare professional so that all possible physical and mental health causes can be considered.
Could it be seasonal changes?
Some people experience depression at particular times of year, often during the autumn and winter months. This is known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
If your symptoms follow a seasonal pattern, you can find out more about seasonal affective disorder and the support available.
Depression in different groups
Depression can affect people of any age, but symptoms may look different depending on your age, circumstances and individual experiences.
Children and teenagers
Depression in children and teenagers may involve persistent low mood, irritability, withdrawal from friends or family, changes in sleep or appetite, difficulties at school and losing interest in activities.
Depression during pregnancy and after having a baby
Depression can occur during pregnancy or after having a baby. Symptoms may include persistent sadness, anxiety, exhaustion, difficulty bonding with your baby and feelings of guilt or hopelessness.
Older adults
Depression in older adults is sometimes overlooked. Symptoms like tiredness, sleep problems, changes in appetite or physical complaints may be attributed to ageing or other health conditions.
Depression in men and women
Depression can affect men and women in similar ways, although people may experience or express symptoms differently. Some men, for example, may be more likely to present with irritability, anger, withdrawal or increased alcohol use rather than openly describing feelings of sadness.
You can find out more about depression in men and depression in women in our dedicated guides.
When to seek help
You don't have to wait until your symptoms are debilitating before asking for help.
If you’ve been experiencing symptoms of depression for 2 weeks or more, or your symptoms are worsening and affecting your relationships, work, education or everyday life, consider speaking to a GP or mental health professional.
If you need urgent help
If you’re having thoughts about suicide or feel that you may act on thoughts of harming yourself, please seek urgent support.
If you’re worried about someone else and believe they’re at immediate risk, stay with them if it’s safe to do so and seek urgent help.
Private providers of depression treatment like Priory can also support you with:
Our free, confidential depression test, providing you with a place learn more about your symptoms and decide whether you may benefit from further support.
A private mental health assessment from £49, giving you the opportunity to talk through your symptoms, how they’re affecting your life and what support may be appropriate. You can self-refer without seeing your GP first.
FAQs
How do I know if I’m depressed?
You may have depression if you’ve been experiencing persistent low mood, loss of interest or pleasure, changes in sleep or appetite, low energy, difficulty concentrating or feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness. Symptoms usually affect your everyday life and continue for at least 2 weeks, although individual experiences vary. A mental health professional can help you understand what may be causing your symptoms.
What does depression feel like?
Depression can feel different from person to person. You might feel persistently sad, empty, hopeless, numb or irritable. You may also feel exhausted, lose interest in things you normally enjoy, find everyday tasks difficult or withdraw from other people.
What are the physical symptoms of depression?
Physical symptoms can include tiredness, changes in sleep or appetite, changes in weight, headaches, digestive problems, unexplained aches and pains, physical restlessness or slowing down, and reduced sex drive.
How long does depression last?
There isn't one set length of time for depression. Without treatment, symptoms can continue for weeks, months or longer. How long depression lasts can depend on factors including the type and severity of depression, individual circumstances and whether treatment is received.
What’s the difference between sadness and depression?
Sadness is a normal emotional response to difficult or disappointing experiences and usually changes over time. Depression is a mental health condition involving a combination of symptoms that can persist and significantly affect everyday life. You can experience depression alongside difficult life events, including bereavement.
Can you have depression without feeling sad?
Yes. Not everyone with depression experiences sadness as their main symptom. Some people may mainly notice loss of interest, emotional numbness, tiredness, irritability, changes in sleep or appetite, or difficulty functioning day to day.
Not sure if it’s depression?
You don't have to work it out on your own.
Take our free, confidential depression test to explore your symptoms, or book a private assessment from £49 to discuss your experiences with a mental health professional.
If you're experiencing thoughts of suicide or are in immediate danger, seek urgent help by calling 999 or going to your nearest A&E.