Depression changes much more than a person's mood.
Research suggests it also alters the way people think, remember, make decisions and interpret events in their lives.
Many of these changes happen automatically, making negative experiences seem more important, more memorable and more difficult to escape.
Positive experiences, meanwhile, can be overlooked or quickly discounted.
Over the years, psychologists have identified a number of characteristic thinking patterns linked to depression.
Together, they help explain why depression can be so persistent and why it can be difficult to break free from its grip.
Here are some of the most common ways depression affects the mind.
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Author: Dr Jeremy Dean
Psychologist, Jeremy Dean, PhD is the founder and author of PsyBlog. He holds a doctorate in psychology from University College London and two other advanced degrees in psychology. He has been writing about scientific research on PsyBlog since 2004. View all posts by Dr Jeremy Dean
