Conditions · Mood
Depression — NIMH plain-language overview
Symptoms, types, treatments, and what current evidence supports — written for the general public by the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health.
National Institute of Mental Health12 min read
NIMH's depression topic page is the most authoritative free, plain-language overview of depression in the United States. It covers diagnostic criteria, the major treatment modalities (psychotherapy, medication, brain stimulation), and what to do if a first-line treatment does not work.
Useful both for someone trying to understand their own experience and for a family member or friend trying to be helpful without overstepping.
Mental Hum's library is a curated index of authoritative third-party resources. The summary above is our own framing; the full information lives at the source.
A note on this article
Mental Hum publishes general education, not medical advice. If something here reflects your own experience, please consider speaking to a clinician. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.