Feeling sad, flat, or down is a normal part of the human experience. Things start to get more serious when feelings such as sadness, unhappiness, irritability or frustration last for more than two weeks. When someone loses interest in most of their usual activities and has ongoing miserable thoughts or withdraws from close family, friends or work commitments it can indicate they are experiencing depression symptoms.
Seeking professional depression treatment from trained counsellors or therapists can help an individual better manage depression. The good news is that there are effective treatment options available. The sooner a person with depression seeks support the sooner they can recover.