Living with major depressive disorder
Learn seven ways major depression affects your life.
Jan 18, 2026
Written byMichael Gollust
1 / 8
Slide 1
Major depression (also known as clinical depression, major depressive disorder, or MDD) doesn't just involve you. It can affect your friends, family, and other people close to you.
"Depression affects a person across the board," says Rob Doyle, MD, clinical instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital. Left untreated, it can be extremely damaging to your well-being, he adds. If you are experiencing major depression, it’s important to understand the effects it may have on various areas of your life.
Sources (9)
- National Institute of Mental Health. Depression. Page last reviewed September 2022.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mental Health Conditions: Depression and Anxiety. Page last reviewed September 14, 2022.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Mental Health.gov. Mental Health and Substance Use Co-occurring Disorders. Page last updated March 10, 2022.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse Why is there comorbidity between substance use disorders and mental illnesses? April 13, 2021.
- Barsha, RA, Hossain, M. Trouble Sleeping and Depression Among US Women Aged 20 to 30 Years. Preventing Chronic Disease, 2020; 17.
- Mayo Clinic. Depression: Supporting a family member or friend. December 13, 2022.
- Office on Women’s Health. Depression. Page last updated February 17, 2021.
- National Health Service. Overview – Clinical depression. Page last reviewed December 10, 2019.
- National Institute of Mental Health. Anxiety. Page last reviewed April 2022.