How It's Complicated works
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Start therapyReach out to your therapist and book your first session within 24 hours. Online or in person, in 60+ languages.
Learn more about depression
Depression is a mood disorder characterised by persistent low mood, loss of interest or pleasure, and a reduced ability to function in daily life. Unlike ordinary sadness, depression doesn't lift on its own after a few days: it affects how you think, feel, sleep, and move through the day, and it often needs support to recover from. The World Health Organisation recognises depression as one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. It can develop at any age, with or without an obvious trigger, and alongside other conditions. Depression is also one of the most treatable mental health conditions, and most people who receive appropriate support recover.
Depression usually shows up across several areas of life at once, not as a single symptom.
Common signs include:
- Persistent low mood, emptiness, or flatness for most of the day, nearly every day
- Loss of interest in activities you previously enjoyed
- Changes in appetite or weight, in either direction
- Sleeping much more or much less than usual
- Fatigue that rest doesn't relieve
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
- Withdrawing from people you'd normally feel close to
Several evidence-based therapies are effective for depression. The right one often depends on what's driving it, how it shows up, and what kind of work suits you.
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) focuses on identifying and changing the thought patterns and withdrawal that keep depression in place. It's typically short-term and structured, with strong evidence for mild to moderate depression.
Psychodynamic therapy explores how earlier experiences shape current emotional patterns. It tends to work well for depression linked to relationships, loss, or unresolved grief.
Schema therapy addresses the deep-rooted patterns formed early in life that can drive depression that recurs across many years. It suits long-standing or chronic low mood.
ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) helps you change your relationship with difficult thoughts and reconnect with what matters to you. It has good evidence for chronic and recurring depression.
Psychiatry covers clinical assessment and medication, which are often part of the picture for moderate to severe depression. Therapy and medication work well together, agreed with a GP or psychiatrist.
Choosing an approach isn't something you have to do alone. IC's matching can pair you with a therapist whose approach suits your situation. Get matched.
It's Complicated is a therapist-founded mental health platform connecting clients with verified practitioners across Europe and globally, in over 60 languages. The platform is free to use, with over 2,500 vetted therapists offering in-person sessions in cities including Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Lisbon, and Vienna, alongside online sessions worldwide.
Choosing a therapist for depression can feel overwhelming when you're already exhausted. Our matching service is built to remove that friction. You complete a short survey, our psychologists combine data-driven insights with human judgement to identify the right therapists for your situation, and you choose from a shortlist of strong candidates. You can also browse our directory directly if you'd prefer to choose yourself.
Get matched with a therapist who specialises in depression, or browse all depression therapists in the directory.
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