Depression may refer to:

Mental health

Depression (mood) Depression is a mental state of low Mood (psychology), mood and aversion to activity. It affects about 3.5% of the global population, or about 280 million people worldwide, as of 2020. Depression affects a person's thoughts, behavior, feelin ...

, a state of low mood and aversion to activity * Mood disorders characterized by depression are commonly referred to as simply ''depression'', including: **

Major depressive disorder Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression, is a mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of pervasive depression (mood), low mood, low self-esteem, and anhedonia, loss of interest or pleasure in normally ...

, also known as ''clinical depression'' **

Bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder (BD), previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of Depression (mood), depression and periods of abnormally elevated Mood (psychology), mood that each last from days to weeks, and in ...

, also known as ''manic depression'' **

Dysthymia Dysthymia ( ), known as persistent depressive disorder (PDD) in the DSM-5-TR and dysthymic disorder in ICD-11, is a psychiatric condition marked by symptoms that are similar to those of major depressive disorder, but which persist for at leas ...

, also known as ''persistent depressive disorder''

Economics

Economic depression An economic depression is a period of carried long-term economic downturn that is the result of lowered economic activity in one or more major national economies. It is often understood in economics that economic crisis and the following recession ...

, a sustained, long-term downturn in economic activity in one or more economies **

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

, a severe economic depression during the 1930s, commonly referred to as simply ''the Depression'' **

Long Depression The Long Depression was a worldwide price and economic recession, beginning in Panic of 1873, 1873 and running either through March 1879, or 1899, depending on the metrics used. It was most severe in Europe and the United States, which had been e ...

, an economic depression during 1873–96, known at the time as the ''Great Depression''

Biology

Depression (kinesiology) Motion, the process of movement, is described using specific anatomical terms. Motion includes movement of organs, joints, limbs, and specific sections of the body. The terminology used describes this motion according to its direction relati ...

, an anatomical term of motion, refers to downward movement, the opposite of elevation *

Depression (physiology) In physiology and medicine, depression refers to a lowering, in particular a reduction in a specific biological variable or the functions of an organ. It is the opposite of elevation. For example, it is possible to refer to "depressed thyroid ...

, a reduction in a biological variable or the function of an organ *

Central nervous system depression Central nervous system depression (or CNS depression) is a nervous system disorder characterized by a severely impaired physiological state in which patients may exhibit decreased rate of breathing, decreased heart rate, and loss of consciousnes ...

, physiological depression of the central nervous system that can result in loss of consciousness

Earth science

Depression (geology) In geology, a depression is a landform sunken or depressed below the surrounding area. Depressions form by various mechanisms. Types Erosion-related: * Blowout (geomorphology), Blowout: a depression created by Aeolian processes, wind erosion t ...

, a landform sunken or depressed below the surrounding area *

Depression (weather) In meteorology, a low-pressure area (LPA), low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. It is the opposite of a high-pressure area. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with incle ...

, an area of low atmospheric pressure characterized by rain and unstable weather {{Disambiguation