Your Guide to Understanding Depression

What is depression?

Depression is a common mood disorder in which people feel persistent sadness and loss of interest or pleasure. It often comes with changes in sleep, appetite, energy, concentration, and feelings of self-worth. Depression has a big impact on daily life and is more than just feeling "down" or sad.

What causes depression?

Depression is typically caused by a mix of these factors:

• Biological (genetics, brain chemistry, hormones, health)
• Psychological (negative thoughts, trauma, stress, low self-esteem, poor coping)
• Environmental (stress, lack of support, socioeconomic factors, lifestyle)

These factors affect everyone differently.

What are the symptoms of depression?

You might be depressed if for over two weeks your daily life has been seriously and continuously impacted by one or more of these symptoms:

• Persistent sadness or loss of interest
• Changes in appetite, sleep, or energy
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Difficulty concentrating
• Thoughts of death or suicide

What should I do if I have symptoms of depression?

Reach out to your Firefly care team so you can get assessed. Even if you have only the milder symptoms, we can still help. It’s especially important to seek help if your symptoms don’t improve, get worse, or affect your ability to live your life.

How do I manage my depression?

Your care team will help you figure out a plan for managing your depression.

Managing depression often works best with a mix of strategies:

• Lifestyle strategies (like exercise, healthy diet, good sleep, stress management, avoiding alcohol and drugs, and enjoyable activities)
• Self-help strategies (like setting realistic goals, self-compassion, challenging negative thoughts, following a routine, and mindfulness)
• Social support (from family, friends, or support groups)
• Talk therapy (there are various types that help change negative thoughts and improve coping)
• Medication (antidepressants regulate brain chemicals; they often work best when used along with talk therapy)

Keep in mind: Depression treatment looks different for every person, and it often takes time to notice the effects.

What other resources are available?

For a deep dive on the different types of depression, check out this resource. You can also use these worksheets to learn and track strategies for managing your mood.

If you’re thinking about or planning to harm yourself or someone else:

Please call 911 or 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or go to the nearest emergency room right away.