Depressive disorder
Why depression is more than sadness, and what changes in the brain.
Sadness is an emotion that passes. Depressive disorder is different: it lasts for weeks, dulls interest in nearly everything, and comes with changes in sleep, appetite and energy that a person does not choose.
We explain what role neurotransmitters and reward circuits play, why it is not «a lack of willpower», and why treatment often combines psychotherapy with medication.
