Depression and mood

Depression, bipolar disorder, seasonal and hormonal mood changes, and suicidal thoughts or self-harm.

• Bipolar disorderBipolar disorder is a mental health condition that causes significant shifts in mood, energy and activity levels, ranging from periods of mania or hypomania to episodes of depression. It used to be called manic depression. It is a long-term condition, but with the right treatment and support many people live full, stable lives.
• DepressionDepression is a common, treatable mental health condition that causes a persistent low mood, loss of interest or pleasure, and changes in sleep, energy, appetite and thinking. When symptoms last most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks, clinicians may call it major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression.
• High-functioning depressionHigh functioning depression describes people who live with depressive symptoms while still meeting their daily responsibilities: going to work, caring for family and appearing fine to others. It is not a formal diagnosis, but it often overlaps with persistent depressive disorder or major depression. Because the signs are hidden, it can go untreated for years, even though therapy can help.
• Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia)Dysthymia, now called persistent depressive disorder (PDD), is a form of chronic depression in which a person feels low or down most days for two years or more (one year in children and teens). The symptoms are often less intense than major depression, but because they last so long they can quietly shape a person's whole life. It is treatable.
• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)PMDD, or premenstrual dysphoric disorder, is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome that causes intense emotional symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, irritability or rage, in the one to two weeks before a period. Symptoms ease shortly after bleeding starts. PMDD is a recognized medical condition, and effective treatments exist.
• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that comes and goes with the seasons, most often starting in fall or winter and lifting in spring. It is more than the "winter blues": SAD causes symptoms of depression that affect daily life for weeks or months each year. Therapy, light therapy and, in some cases, medication can help.
• Self-harmSelf harm, also called self-injury or non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), means deliberately hurting your own body, often to cope with overwhelming emotions. It is a sign of deep distress, not attention-seeking. Self harm can be treated, and with the right support many people find safer ways to cope and stop.
• Suicidal thoughtsSuicidal thoughts, also called suicidal ideation, are thoughts about ending your life or wishing you were dead. They range from fleeting ideas to detailed plans, and they are a signal of intense emotional pain that deserves care and support. If you are in danger right now, call or text 988 in the US, call Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK and Ireland, or call 911 or your local emergency number.