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DepressionDepression is a medical condition that negatively affects how a person thinks, feels, and functions. It could be likened to a lead weight that makes every action in life more challenging. Formally diagnosed as major depressive disorder, this persistent feeling of sadness often also includes anhedonia—the inability to feel pleasure in things that once fueled joy. A paradox of depression is that it often robs patients of the energy and motivation to take actions that might make them feel better, including exercising or going out to see friends.
This disorder has been recorded for centuries, dating back to the second century BCE in Mesopotamia, when it was viewed as a spiritual problem. Hippocrates later called it "melancholia," derived from the Greek for "black bile"—a nod to the bodily humor imbalance that he believed explained the condition.
A mix of therapeutic approaches—exercise, medication, meditation, and therapy—can help treat this very common mental health disorder. Roughly 1 in 10 US adults take medication for depression. Recent estimates suggest more than 18% of US adults and teens have depression. Diagnosed rates remain higher among females than males.
*If you or someone you know are considering suicide, please call, text, or chat "988" to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.*Explore Depression
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Veterans reported single dose of ibogaine improved TBI, PTSD, anxiety, and depressionResearch published in 2024 on the Central African plant-derived drug included 30 male combat vets who received ibogaine treatment in Mexico. It reported significant reductions in multiple mental health conditions and no serious side effects. Other work, however, has shown the substance can cause fatal cardiac arrhythmias, killing at least 19 people between 1990 and 2008. (Some users may encounter a paywall.) Scientific AmericanAustralian psychiatrists already prescribe psilocybin and MDMA for depression and PTSDThe country green lighted the treatments for July 1, 2023, onward, with MDMA—ectasy—as a post-traumatic stress disorder treatment, and psilocybin—magic mushrooms—as an option for people with treatment-resistant depression. Alcohol and Drug FoundationSome data shows cold showers can help with depressionAn icy water exposure can lead to the release of norepinephrine, cortisol, dopamine, and other stress hormones that are beneficial, among other potential effects. Some data shows that this type of exposure can help combat depression symptoms among some patients, but more research is still needed. (Some users may encounter a paywall.) The New York TimesThe depression paradox refers to a lack of energy to take action to help alleviate itActivities like exercise, even at low levels, have been shown to alleviate some of depression's symptoms for some people. However, depression saps energy levels, making it particularly difficult to motivate oneself to take helpful action. Psychology TodayDepression is much more than sadness—and isn't fleetingThe American Psychiatric Association's DSM-5—used for defining diagnoses—says a person must be experiencing five or more symptoms of depression most of the day over at least two weeks. Research indicates older people are less likely than younger people to meet that depression benchmark, though this article says they still often have at least several of the depression symptoms. AARPWatch actress Kristen Bell discuss her challenges with depression and anxietyBell describes how depression can make it difficult to celebrate good news, and how decision fatigue can make simple decisions feel Herculean. She reveals how she wishes she'd discussed these struggles publicly earlier in her career. SELFTeen depression levels jumped during the pandemicUS government data published in 2025 but gathered from August 2021 through August 2023 indicated that depression prevalence among teens aged 12 to 19 was at 19.2%. It was even higher among females of that age group—26.5% US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention'Melancholia' was the ancient Greek term for depression"Melancholia" in Hippocrates's time was derived from the Greek word for black bile. This term made sense in its context since the Greeks believed that depression stemmed from an improper balance of the four humors. Verywell Mind1 in 10 US adults are taking medication for depressionA US government report indicates that about 10% of US adults took prescription medication for this disorder in 2023. Women, at 15.3%, were more than twice as likely to take one of these medications than the 7.4% of men. US Centers for Disease Control and PreventionUS depression rates at historic high among adultsMore than 18% of US adults reported that they currently have or are being treated for depression in both 2024 and 2025. In the 2025 survey, more than 11,000 adults were surveyed. The numbers have ticked upward since 2015—by about 8 percentage points—with most of the increase occurring from the 2020 pandemic onward. Gallup.comThese areas of the brain are hard-hit in depression—but the changes are reversibleDepressed brains can have certain characteristic changes, including an overactive amygdala, reduced hippocampus size, and changes to the thalamus and neuromodulating chemicals in the brain. NBC NewsJJ Schildkraut theorized depression is linked to brain chemical imbalances—in 1965Schildkraut was one of the first to put forward this idea, which stemmed from lab animal research. A decade later, researchers published the first landmark paper on fluoxetine—better known by trade name Prozac—which increases serotonin levels in the brain. The Psychology of your 20sWatch what depression does to the brainThis video explores the neurobiology of depression and why unraveling the complexities of this disease and its etiology will potentially improve treatments. Effective depression treatment, as this video highlights, can eventually make a depressed brain look like a healthy one on brain scans. Yale MedicineTouch deprivation can heighten anxiety and depressionPacinian Corpuscles are pressure receptors just under the skin that send signals to the vagus nerve in the brain—that's the cranial nerve which regulates involuntary actions like breathing, heart rate, and the general "fight or flight" response. Activating those receptors can slow the heart, decrease blood pressure, and lead to the release of oxytocin and cortisol. The absence of touch, conversely, can promote negative feelings. Psychology TodayThe Great Depression is one of history's most notable periods of deflationThe stock market crash of 1929 helped trigger a period of deflation in the United States by creating a drastic decrease in the total money supply. Because of the United States' central role in the world economy, virtually every single country was impacted by the recession. Casual EconomicsThe Social Security Act was formed to protect retired workers amid the Great DepressionPresident Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal created new government agencies and programs in the wake of the Great Depression, including the Social Security Act. HISTORYThe Depression-era Social Security program assigned every US citizen an account numberMany of the Social Security functions we know today are the result of multiple amendments to the Social Security Act that have been passed in the years since the act’s initial creation in 1935. As Social Security as we know it today was being conceptualized, Democrats opted to make it an insurance program rather than a welfare one to assuage Republicans. HISTORYIts predictability distinguishes SAD from other forms of depressionMost major depression is "stochastic"—brought on without a clear trigger. SAD—also known as major depression with a seasonal component—is unique in that its onset is predictable. Many of those affected can predict its occurrence accurately within a range of three weeks. This podcast explores this unusual feature of SAD, among other expert takes. Depresh Mode Having five of nine key symptoms constitutes a major depressionBefore professional standards were adopted, practitioners used varying criteria to diagnose mental health disorders. By the 1970s, more objective lists were organized, culminating in this list of polythetic criteria—a list of symptoms where no single criterion is required, but a minimum number must be present. National Library of MedicineWomen are four times as likely to be diagnosed with seasonal depressionThis prevalence trend mirrors the broader incidence of depression among women and is well-documented. Researchers suggest the disparity stems from differences in hormones, social role expectations, coping mechanisms, and more. Men may also present with depression differently, and seek help less. Verywellmind'Migrant Mother' (1936) captured the tragic reality of the Great DepressionTaken by Dorothea Lange, the image shows a mother in tattered clothes looking distressed while her children cling to her. At the time, the family was surviving on frozen vegetables from nearby fields and birds killed by the children. Library of CongressStand-up became more popular during the Great DepressionThe stock market crash of 1929 caused vaudeville theaters to shutter. Audiences were looking for lighthearted distractions from the country’s financial problems, though, and stand-up became more popular, albeit in very different venues. NPRThe Social Security System was created to protect Americans from economic disasters like the Great DepressionPresident Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal created new government agencies and programs in the wake of the Great Depression. FDR Presidential LibraryThe UK was already in a depression before the US Great Depression took holdThe US Great Depression was felt globally, but the severity and length of different countries’ economic downturns varied. For instance, Japan was the first country to exit its depression. History MattersThe Great Depression was an international depression felt far beyond the USMany countries suffered through a depression in the 1930s that the First World War, the US stock market crash, and an economic downturn in Germany turned into an international crisis. Office of the HistorianOne signal that a recession has become a depression? When GDP declines more than 10%There’s no single definition for recessions or depressions, but both are marked by sustained periods of declining economic activity. Depressions are more severe than recessions. International Monetary FundBetween 2007 and 2009, the housing market saw its most significant downturn since the Great Depression: the Great Recession The early 2000s were a prosperous period for the housing market, until some lending practices eventually destabilized it, leading to banks collapsing and people losing their homes. HISTORYLeaving cookies for Santa became popular in America during the Great DepressionDuring the period of economic hardship, many parents wanted to teach their children the importance of sharing and gratitude. The tradition dates even further back to ancient Norse mythology. The god Odin and his eight-legged horse, Sleipner, were left food in exchange for gifts. HistoryNDEs typically change people's outlooks drastically and can prompt depressionThe phenomena are regularly categorized as hallucinations, but some specialists are interested in their psychological nuances. Many survivors report feeling less anxiety about death, though some surveys show the experiences can increase physiological sensitivities. WebMDMixed reality technologies may help treat depressionA study led by a team from Stanford University showed that MR can help people with depression by providing pathways to engage in activities such as digital board games and dancing. Participants saw reduced symptoms of depression that made their overall treatment plans more successful. Neuroscience NewsHow depression affects the brainTreatment for depression has historically hinged on the theory that the condition was caused by underactive or abnormal neurotransmitters, specifically serotonin and norepinephrine. This four-minute video by Yale Medicine details how these neurotransmitters didn't explain the symptoms of depression but, two other neurotransmitters involved in regulating mood and emotion did. GABA and glutamate, some of the brain's most plentiful neurotransmitters, may possibly be the source of depressive symptoms. Yale MedicineCould this pseudo-psychedelic VR experience decrease symptoms of depression?Researchers report that virtual reality and psychedelics may be leave users with similar insights and therapeutic benefits. Try out this free psychedelic virtual reality experience to see if this holds true for you. According to the program’s creators, a study into the efficacy of this 45-minute experience indicates it may help alleviate symptoms of mild to moderate depression. AboutHow do astronauts battle loneliness and depression?You’re stranded hundreds of miles away from your friends and family, constantly surrounded by coworkers who also are your roommates, and you’re only allowed the shortest of walks outside. There’s also no takeout, and gravity has essentially broken up with you. You might need a little help adjusting mentally. That’s where space psychologists and psychiatrists step in, according to this article. InverseHow the Great Depression and end of WWI paved the way for Hitler’s rise to powerThe end of WWI was triggered by an armistice that blamed the conflict on Germany and required the financially struggling country to pay reparations. This outraged nationalists and ignited conspiracies that Hitler was able to capitalize on, according to this six-minute video. It was during this financial strain that the Great Depression hit. TED-EdHow the Great Depression still shapes the way Americans eatFrom fortified foods to nutrition labels, the legacy of an early financial crisis lives on in kitchens across the United States. Ethnic foods with their (supposedly) hunger-triggering spices were vilified and considered “stimulants” along the lines of caffeine and so, in their stead came prune puddings, canned-meat stews, and dairy-heavy vegetable casseroles featuring America’s first fortified foods. Read more here. The AtlanticCommunism grew in appeal during the Great DepressionWith at least a quarter of the country out of work, some Americans disenchanted with capitalism began looking at alternatives. Watch this five-minute video to learn about communism's growing allure during the Great Depression. PBS LearningMediaThe US unemployment rate soared to over 24% during the Great DepressionThe Great Depression was a devastating and prolonged economic recession that followed the crash of the US stock market in 1929. InvestopediaWhat was it like to live through the Great Depression?Hear the personal accounts of four people who lived through the Great Depression, as told by NPR's Throughline. Listen to this 47-minute podcast episode to get a bit more insight into the countrywide economic crisis and what it meant it for everyday people. ThroughlineCan your family farm survive the Great Depression?Find out in this free simulation game where you play a pair of twins trying to weather the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. Your choices determine the ending, so choose your moves wisely! MissionUSAntidepressants alone may fail to help an estimated one-third to one-half of depressed patientsThere are three major categories of antidepressants—tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine oxidate inhibitors, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. This podcast notes these first-line depression drugs are not effective for many patients and may also come with concerning side effects. Other therapeutic approaches—either in combination with medication or as an alternative—include therapy, meditation, and consistent exercise. Huberman LabAn estimated 91% of all Americans had used a coupon at least once as of 2022Coupon use accelerated during the Great Depression, when the US unemployment rate reached nearly 25 percent. While coupons were invented in the late 1800s, they became more popular during the Depression as a way to stretch household budgets during the era’s economic hardships. Companies soon began distributing coupons via newspapers and women’s magazines. HISTORYThe New Deal shifted economic and social authority to the federal governmentFranklin D. Roosevelt's response to the Great Depression expanded federal power through economic regulation and social welfare programs, permanently reshaping federalism by shifting responsibility for financial security to Washington while leaving states to administer many of these programs. Center for the Study of FederalismKey tips for helping the depressed—including listening without judgmentMajor depressive disorder is a clinical diagnosis and is not a lifestyle choice. Those who struggle with depression can express persistent feelings that are difficult to process and make sense of for friends and family. This guide walks through some counterintuitive perspectives, including resisting the urge to force a depressed person to do the things that would make them feel better. HelpGuide.orgWinter-risk SAD is more likely in regions above 40 degrees latitude northUsing latitude, depression prevalence, and populations of women and those aged 18-30, this map shows the risk of experiencing seasonal affective disorder during the winter. Researchers weighted latitude most (50%) and demographics least (5% each for women and young adults). Overall risk is not a useful predictor of prognosis for an individual. Wellness PulseRadio quiz shows took off in the ‘40sThe concept took hold during the Great Depression, with 50 shows on the air by 1940, because they allowed families to imagine a financial windfall was just a few questions away. Although the genre had a slight downturn during World War II, it experienced a resurgence by the end of the decade, with 200 shows on the air. PBS'Mystery hikes' were a popular attraction in the 1930sStill reeling from the Great Depression, many Americans were looking for low-cost (or free) activities. Some travel agencies curated "mystery hikes," which offered intrepid amblers the opportunity to be set on a blind adventure. Atlas ObscuraMarkets have always recovered and hit new highs following crashesThe crash that preceded the Great Depression was the most severe the US has ever experienced. It was 28 times worse than the downturn that followed the Cuban Missile Crisis. Morningstar, Inc.The National Housing Act established the Federal Housing AdministrationDuring the Great Depression, 1,000 homes were foreclosed on per day, and half of the mortgages across the country defaulted. To address this crisis, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the National Housing Act. It established the Federal Housing Administration, which is still around today and helps protect lenders and buyers. BankrateJP Morgan Jr. once angered the nation with his zero-dollar tax billIn the aftermath of the Great Depression, Congress learned that Morgan and his banking partners had avoided paying any federal income tax in 1931 and 1932. By claiming their losses in the stock market, they seemingly erased what they owed. Tax NotesHow psilocybin could transform mental health treatmentHow magical are magic mushrooms, at least where depression is concerned? Some 24 volunteers participated in a study to evaluate the efficacy of using psilocybin in combination with psychotherapy to treat individuals suffering from depression. While some controversies remain about its use—psilocybin is known to cause psychosis sometimes—some scientists think the benefits outweigh the risks. Newsweek
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