The majority of people go through times where they feel sad, angry and disconnected. Maybe a divorce, the loss of a relative or a traumatic event causes a lengthened period of sadness. It is to be expected that strong emotion would arise from any of these situations. Clinical depression is a persistent pattern in these feelings that cause a disruption in functioning at school, work or in relationships. It can feel like walking through quicksand.

Depression can seep into every part of a person's life, affecting not only mood, but sleep, eating habits, motivation to complete tasks or exercise and connection within relationships. Some common symptoms of depression are difficulty concentrating, fatigue, thoughts of suicide, poor or excessive appetite, irritability, insomnia, sleepiness and social isolation. Frequently people report feeling like a huge dark cloud is hanging over them and everything they do. People who are depressed often describe how difficult it is to get through everyday tasks. You may have thoughts like “is my life worth living?” “What is the point of this?” “Would anyone care if I wasn’t around?”

Depression causes some people to not even recognize themselves. Where they used to be social and outgoing, they are introverted, tired and afraid. Where they used to work hard, they find little motivation to spend time doing productive work. It is common that people who are depressed lose or damage their close relationships, as they have no energy or desire to participate in putting work into connecting with others. They tend to find it is easier just to lay in bed, scrolling Facebook or binging on Netflix. Even getting dressed in the morning feels like a chore that is difficult to accomplish under this blanket of heavy sadness.