Depression

Depression is a serious medical illness that involves the brain. It's more than just a feeling of being "down in the dumps" or "blue" for a few days. If you are one of the more than 20 million people in the United States who have depression, the feelings do not go away. They persist and interfere with your everyday life.

Clinical Depression: Diagnosis, Causes & Treatment

Depression is a clinical condition that, contrary to popular opinion, cannot simply be overcome with time and it needs to be treated.

How is Depression in Children Diagnosed?

Depression and Sleep Length

How Does Your Diet Affect Depression?

How Can I Tell if My Child is Depressed?

The Science Behind the Winter Blues: Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder

Antidepressants and Weight Changes

Can Depression and Anxiety Occur Together?

Causes of Depression

Contributing Factors to Post-Adoption Depression

Intrusive Thoughts and Depression

Treatment of Depression

See more featured articles »

Situational Depression: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments

Prisoner Depression and Low Mood

Genes and Depression

Supporting Children with Mental Health Disorders

Symptoms of Depression

Ghrelin and Depression

Treatment Options for Children with Depression

Food Insecurity and Depression

Depression Diagnosis

Depression in children

5 Facts You May Not Know About Depression

Link Between Chronic Illness and Depression

Latest Depression News and Research

Study reveals the long-lasting health impacts of eating disorders

The health impacts of eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating, are not only complex, affecting many different organ systems, but long-lasting, finds a large tracking study, published in the open access journal BMJ Medicine.

19 Nov 2025

Global report highlights persistent violence against women

Violence against women remains one of the world's most persistent and under-addressed human rights crises, with very little progress in two decades, according to a landmark report released today by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN partners.

19 Nov 2025

Integrated financial and mental health programs offer stronger benefits

Supporting people with both financial and mental health support at the same time works better than tackling either one in isolation, according to new research led by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

19 Nov 2025

Coffee protects the brain, metabolism, and immunity at the molecular level

This review uncovers the molecular networks of coffee's compounds, showcasing their antioxidant and neuroprotective effects on immunity and metabolism.

19 Nov 2025

Experts call for bold policies to curb the health harms of ultra-processed foods

The increase of UPFs in diets worldwide presents an urgent challenge to health that demands coordinated policies and advocacy action to address, says a new three paper Series authored by 43 global experts and published in The Lancet. The Series exposes the tactics UPF companies use to drive consumption and prevent effective policy.

18 Nov 2025

Acute and chronic depression involve different mechanisms in the brain

A new study investigating neuroinflammation in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the brain, a small, midbrain dopaminergic region, has found that acute and chronic depression are associated with distinct pathophysiological mechanisms.

18 Nov 2025

Childhood trauma affects two in five Australian adults and raises lifelong health risks

A University of Sydney-led study published today has found 42 percent of Australian adults - more than eight million people - experienced a traumatic event as children.

18 Nov 2025

Maternal stress linked to earlier baby teeth

Children have 20 milk teeth, 10 in each jaw. This set of teeth is important for chewing and speaking, and helps to keep space open for the subsequent set of 32 permanent teeth.

18 Nov 2025

Large language models revolutionize psychiatric questionnaires

Large language models can help improve questionnaires used to diagnose mental illness by optimizing symptom generalizability and reducing redundancy.

18 Nov 2025

Deep brain stimulation for treatment-resistant severe depression shows positive results

Deep brain stimulation – implants in the brain that act as a kind of 'pacemaker' – has led to clinical improvements in half of the participants with treatment-resistant severe depression in an 'open label' trial.

18 Nov 2025

Daily berries and cocoa enhance mood by targeting key brain pathways

Dietary flavonoids from everyday foods show modest but promising benefits for mood, with the strongest evidence emerging from chronic, anthocyanin rich interventions. Acute effects are mixed, but longer term intake may support emotional well being through mechanisms involving monoamine activity and neuroplasticity.

17 Nov 2025

Maternal obesity raises childhood epilepsy and disability risks, new study shows

Higher maternal BMI before pregnancy is linked to increased risks of epilepsy and intellectual disability in young children, even after extensive adjustment for maternal and neonatal factors. Associations with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD disappear after full adjustment, highlighting the potential mediating role of perinatal complications.

17 Nov 2025

Study: PTSD treatment dropout rates vary widely

About a quarter of U.S. service members and veterans who start psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder quit before they finish treatment. But not all therapies are equal in their appeal, with some effective approaches reporting the highest dropout rates, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

17 Nov 2025

Why early- and late-onset depression are fundamentally different

Genetic differences in early- and late-onset depression highlight distinct risk profiles, informing targeted strategies for improved clinical outcomes.

17 Nov 2025

Parental postpartum depression linked to higher autism risk

Findings reveal a strong link between parental postpartum depression and autism risk, stressing the importance of mental health support for new parents.

17 Nov 2025

Chronic pain in adults linked to increased risk of developing high blood pressure

Chronic pain in adults may increase their risk of high blood pressure, and the location and extent of pain and if they also had depression were contributing factors, according to new research published today in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal.

17 Nov 2025

Portrayal of lorazepam use inTV series associated with increased online searches for the drug

In season three of the hit television series The White Lotus, the character Victoria Ratliff takes the prescription anti-anxiety medication lorazepam to help with her social anxiety and inability to sleep.

14 Nov 2025

New technique revolutionizes the design of drugs that target ion channels

An international team involving the Institute of Chemical Research, a joint centre of the University of Seville and the Spanish National Research Council, has developed a new technique that will accelerate the design of drugs that target ion channels, a type of cell membrane protein involved in numerous diseases, ranging from psychiatric disorders to various types of cancer.

14 Nov 2025

Hyperemesis gravidarum linked to depression in pregnant women

A recent study conducted at the University of Turku in Finland showed that hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of nausea that occurs during pregnancy, is linked to depression.

14 Nov 2025

Mental navigation framework helps people change pathological thinking

The stereotypical image of psychotherapy shows a patient lying on a couch, exploring their deepest traumas. This leads to awareness of unconscious habits, thoughts, and drives and has long been a cornerstone of psychotherapy.

14 Nov 2025