Depression is a mood disorder that causes persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, and loss of joy. It differs from the mood fluctuations that people regularly experience in life.

Major life events, such as the death of a loved one or the loss of a job, can trigger depression. However, depression is distinct from the negative feelings a person may temporarily have in response to a difficult life event.

Depression can persist despite a change of circumstances. It causes feelings that are intense, chronic, and not proportional to a person’s circumstances.

It is an ongoing problem, not a passing one. While there are multiple types of depression, the most common type is major depressive disorder, which involves episodes of symptoms that last at least two weeks.

Depression can last for several weeks, months, or years. For many people, it is a chronic condition that gets better and then relapses.

Is depression curable?

While there is no one cure for depression, there are effective treatments that can help with recovery. The earlier treatment starts, the more successful it may be. Some people may have one period of depression and then never experience it again. Others may continue to have relapses.

Many people who experience depression can recover by following a treatment plan. However, even with effective treatment, a relapse may occur. About half of people with depression do not initially respond to treatment.

To prevent relapse, people who take medication for depression should continue with treatment — even after symptoms decrease or go away — for as long as their doctor advises.