What is depression?
Depression is more than feeling sad or having a bad day. People with depression usually feel down, blue, or sad, and they have other signs, such as:
- Feeling sad all the time
- Not wanting to do things that used to be fun
- Grumpy, easily frustrated, restless
- Changes in sleep—trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, waking up too early, or sleeping too much
- Eating more or less than they used to
- Trouble thinking
- Feeling tired, even after sleeping well
- Feeling worthless
- Thinking about dying or hurting themselves
You may have depression if:
- You have 5 or more of the signs listed above.
- These signs have lasted 2 weeks or more.
Use our depression screening quiz to see if you are depressed. You should consider seeing your doctor or a qualified mental health professional, especially if these problems are getting in the way of your life or are making you stressed.
What causes depression?
There are many things that increase a person’s chance of getting depressed. Everyone is different, but here are some common things that can lead to depression:
- Feeling lots of stress
- Going through a difficult life event
- A big life change, even if it was planned
- Medical problem
- Taking a medication that is known to cause depression
- Using alcohol or drugs
- Having blood relatives who have had depression
How is depression different from sadness?
Everyone has down days and times when they feel sad. Sadness could turn into depression, but depression and sadness are different in these ways:
- How long the feelings last: Depression is felt every day (or most days) and lasts at least 2 weeks, usually much longer.
- How bad the symptoms are (how much they get in the way of your life): Depression makes it hard for you to do things (like work or family duties) and it can stop you from doing the things you want to do.
How is this different from withdrawal from smoking?
Mood changes are common after quitting smoking. You might be irritable, restless, or feel down or blue.
Changes in mood from quitting smoking (withdrawal) usually get better in 1 or 2 weeks, and they are not as serious.
If you find that you are feeling very down after quitting smoking, then you should talk about this with friends and family, and also call your doctor. This is also true if you have symptoms from the list above. See "What is depression?" and the depression screening quiz.
Who gets depression?
In general, about 1 out of every 6 adults will have depression at some time in their life.
Depression affects about 15,000,000 American adults every year.
Anyone can get depressed. Depression can happen at any age and to any type of person.
But some types of people seem more likely to get depressed than others. For example,
- Women
- Smokers
- People with medical problems
- People who are stressed
Your race, ethnicity, or how much money you make doesn’t change your chance of getting depression.
Why is depression more common in smokers?
Nobody knows why smokers are more likely to have depression than non-smokers, but there a number of guesses. People who have depression might smoke to feel better. Or smokers might get depression more easily because they smoke. Other ideas are also possible. More research is needed to find out for sure.
No matter what the cause, there are treatments that work for both depression and smoking.
If I get depressed after quitting smoking, should I start smoking again?
No. You should look for ways to get help with your depression. Smoking does not treat depression. Remember that smoking is linked to many serious health problems for both the smokers and the people around them. Finding ways to help your depression and quit smoking are the best way to go.
How long does it last? Will this go on forever?
Everyone is different. For some people, it will only last a few weeks, some for many months if not treated.
For many people, depression is only a problem during really stressful times (like a divorce or the death of a loved one). For other people, depression happens off and on through their life.
But, for both groups of people, there are treatments for depression that can help reduce the symptoms and shorten how long the feelings last.
