Around 5.7% of adults worldwide have symptoms of depression, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). This disease, which has a profound effect on the mental health and daily lives of those who suffer from it, is often misunderstood, but is treatable. Understanding the signs is a crucial step towards recovery. We’ll help you understand the main psychological and physical symptoms.
Depression manifests as a persistent sadness that settles in for no apparent reason and weighs heavily on a person’s everyday life. This sadness is often accompanied by a deep sense of discouragement, as if there were no solution in sight. Although intense, these emotions aren’t permanent. With the right support, they can subside.
One telltale sign of depression is a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. This is not a lack of drive or desire, but rather a symptom of the disease, which alters how the person perceives pleasure. Many people with depression have trouble concentrating on tasks and/or making decisions. Irritability, anxiety, guilt, suicidal thoughts, and a negative self-image are the other most common psychological symptoms.
Depression has a significant impact on the body. It’s often accompanied by intense fatigue that persists even after a good night’s sleep, making everyday tasks difficult and resulting in an ongoing lack of energy.Sleep disorders (sleeping too much or too little) such as insomnia often aggravate the fatigue.
Changes in appetite are another common symptom. These can result in weight loss (sometimes more than 5% of a person’s body weight in a month), or weight gain (caused by overeating). Unexplained aches and pains, such as headaches, muscle tension, or a stomach ache, are often the first symptoms of depression. Aches and pains can become more pronounced as the amount of natural light decreases in fall and winter. All of this is often compounded by a lower or nonexistent libido.
Major depressive disorder is characterized by symptoms that persist for at least two weeks and significantly impact the person’s day-to-day functioning. This is the most common form, which is marked by profound sadness, a loss of interest, and difficulty managing daily life. According to the WHO, it is the leading cause of disability (difficulty working or managing daily life) worldwide.
Seasonal affective disorder usually appears in early fall and fades away in spring. The symptoms return at the same time each year. This type of depression is linked to a lack of natural light and can cause intense fatigue, sleep disorders, and increased sugar cravings. Light therapy is an effective treatment in 60% to 80% of cases.
Postpartum depression is distinct from the baby blues, which affects between 50% and 80% of mothers in the 6 months after childbirth and resolves quickly. Considered more serious and longer lasting, postpartum depression affects between 10% and 20% of women in the year after birth, and is characterized by symptoms such as intense sadness, anxiety, and difficulty developing an attachment to the baby.
People with bipolar depression swing between depressive episodes, when they feel down, and manic episodes, when they feel overexcited. What makes bipolar disorder unique is that these mood swings are very strong and last a long time. Depressive episodes may resemble classic depression, but they require treatment with mood stabilizers that are specially designed to help manage these recurring highs and lows.
Depression and anxiety, while distinct from one another, share certain characteristics that can make it hard to tell them apart. These shared symptoms include trouble sleeping, persistent fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and a tendency to withdraw from social situations. These similarities explain why the two disorders are often confused for one another and can sometimes coexist. In some cases, anxiety precedes depression, but the opposite is also possible.
Anxiety is characterized by excessive worry about the future, constant agitation, and emotional hypervigilance. Panic attacks and the intense physical symptoms that accompany them (e.g., heart palpitations, shortness of breath) are typical of anxiety disorders. Depression is characterized by a deep, lasting sadness, a loss of interest in formerly enjoyable activities, and a feeling of despondency focused on the present or the past.
If you feel that these symptoms have lasted for more than two weeks and are interfering with your daily life, it’s time to ask for help. Don’t wait for the situation to get worse. A professional will be able to make the right diagnosis and offer the right support to help you get back on track.
To help you see things more clearly, we’ve outlined the main stages of depression and its levels of severity (mild, moderate, or severe) below. Keeping these guidelines in mind can help you recognize early signs, whether in yourself or a loved one, and seek help if necessary.
The evolution of a depressive episode generally follows five distinct stages, but the overall trajectory can vary from person to person and the stages may occur in a different order:
There are three levels of severity that determine how depression should be managed:
A depressive episode is diagnosed when symptoms persist for at least two weeks. Without treatment, the average duration is four to six months, but this can vary considerably. The impact on day-to-day functioning depends on the severity and how the depression is managed. The earlier the intervention, the greater the chances of a full recovery.
Women generally present more visible “internal” symptoms. They express more sadness, anxiety, and guilt, and are more inclined to cry frequently. This emotional expression, which is more socially accepted in women, often facilitates the diagnosis. Social status and/or periods of vulnerability such as pregnancy can also affect the onset of symptoms. According to research results published in August 2025 by the scientific journal Nature communications, women may be genetically more at risk of depressive disorders than men.
Depression tends to look different in men, and is sometimes referred to as “male depression.”It is often expressed by “external” symptoms such as irritability, anger, hostility, or risky behaviour. These can include excessive alcohol or drug consumption, impulsivity, or social withdrawal. This behavioural mask, which is used to conform to societal expectations, frequently delays diagnosis. According to the Institut national de santé publique du Québec, suicide rates are up to 3 times higher in men than in women.
Online quizzes can be a good first step in assessing your symptoms, but they never replace a diagnosis by a health care professional. These are the two most commonly used and scientifically validated questionnaires:
These tools can also help identify associated disorders, such as anxiety or panic attacks, which are often linked to depression.
For a diagnosis you can trust, consult a health care professional, who will do the following:
A general practitioner can do an initial assessment and refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist for treatment if necessary.
When faced with depression, there are a few different professionals who can help you, depending on your needs.
|
Therapy |
Average duration |
Efficacy |
|---|---|---|
|
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) |
8 to 16 sessions |
Very effective for mild to moderate depression, equivalent to antidepressants |
|
Interpersonal therapy |
12 to 16 sessions |
Particularly effective for relationship problems linked to depression |
|
Analytical psychotherapy |
6 months to several years |
Effective for exploring root causes and preventing relapse |
|
Antidepressants (serotonin reuptake inhibitors) |
6 to 24 months, depending on the case |
Effective in 65% of patients after 8 weeks of treatment |
|
Daily 30-minute sessions |
Highly effective for seasonal affective disorder |
|
|
Regular physical activity |
3 to 5 times a week |
Complementary therapy that is known to improve mood and reduce anxiety |
The combination of psychotherapy and medication often offers the best results, particularly in cases of moderate to severe depression.
Supporting someone with depression requires patience and understanding. Here’s how you can help:
When you’re supporting someone who’s depressed, you need to take care of your own mental health, too. Give yourself time to recharge and set boundaries to protect your personal life. Consider joining a support group for loved ones, or seek help yourself if the situation becomes too much for you to bear.
Depression is a difficult ordeal, but it can be overcome. If you recognize any of these signs in yourself or a loved one, don’t wait to ask for help.
Here are a few key lifestyle habits that help prevent relapses and keep you feeling your best:
They may not be the first person you think of, but your Brunet-affiliated owner-pharmacist is always here for you. You can tell them what’s on your mind and trust that it will be kept completely confidential. They can listen, provide reliable information, and direct you to the right person. This is often the first step towards dealing with your illness.
Last updated on November 26, 2025
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