Ana Catarina Dias - Psychologist

Depression is one of the most common mental health problems.

It is associated with a negative, persistent, and prolonged negative mood, that interferes with various aspects of a person's life. Some depressive symptoms may be:

• Thoughts: the depressed person thinks negatively about himself, his experiences and his future. He/she may exaggerate the negative aspects of a situation, fail to perceive the positive aspects, or begin to interpret positive or neutral situations in a negative light. He/she becomes a prisoner of his own pessimism;
• Emotions: the depressed person may feel sad, anxious, apathetic, exhausted, guilty, empty, devalued, hopeless;
• Behaviors: the depressed person may avoid certain situations, stop doing previously pleasurable activities, isolate himself/herself from other people;
• Physical symptoms: reduced energy levels, changes in sleep (insomnia or excessive sleep), changes in appetite (loss of appetite or overeating), changes in sexual desire (decrease or loss).