Depression is more than simply feeling unhappy or fed up for a few days.

Most people go through periods of feeling down, but when you're depressed you feel persistently sad for several weeks, months or years, rather than just a few days.

Some people think depression is trivial and not a genuine health condition. They're wrong – it is a real illness with real symptoms. Depression isn't a sign of weakness or something you can "snap out of" by "pulling yourself together".

There's no single cause of depression. It can occur for a variety of reasons and it has many different triggers.

For some people, an upsetting or stressful life event, such as Bereavement, Divorce, illness, Redundancy and Job or Money Worries, can be the cause.

Different causes can often Combine to Trigger Depression. For example, you may feel low after being ill and then experience a Traumatic Event, such as a Bereavement, which brings on Depression.

Personality:
You may be more vulnerable to Depression if you have certain Personality Traits, such as Low Self-Esteem or being Overly Self-Critical. This may be because of the Genes you've Inherited from your Parents, your Early Life Experiences, or Both.

Yours Sincerely,

Neville C. Bardoliwalla OBE