How Depression Works

A world wide problem

The word "depression" means different things in different contexts. During the 20th century depression became increasingly recognised as an illness. It is now seen by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a growing global problem*. This section explains how it works:

Is depression affecting you or someone you care about?

• Check the warning signs.
• Identify a trend of warning signs to see whether depression is affecting you.
• Understand the changes depression brings.

How did this come about?

• Find out what part of your own life story might make you vulnerable to depression.
• Identify biological, psychological and social factors.

How does it work?

• Gain key understanding about the depression habit spiral.
• Learn how depressed thinking perpetuates the depression habit.
• Find out more about stress, anxiety and anger in depression.
• Recognise how thinking about suicide arises out of depressed thinking.
• See how depression encourages self-harm.

Next: warning signs >>

Links

Check page references (*): references and sources