Anxiety disorders and depression are the most common conditions seen at the Emotional and Behavioural Disorders in Adults Clinic, and are currently the cause of many days off work and adaptation problems in individuals who suffer from them. Depression presents a wide variety of symptoms, but it is generally characterised by the presence of low mood, a feeling of emptiness and irritability.

Depression leads to negative thoughts, a feeling of desperation and low self-esteem. People who suffer from depression tend to reduce typical behaviours that were previously satisfactory for them. Other symptoms that can appear are:

• Loss of or excess hunger
• Sleep alterations that range from insomnia to sleeping too much
• Difficulty enjoying things that were previously enjoyable
• Tendency towards social isolation
• Lack of energy

The diagnosis and treatment of depression helps people recover their normal life as soon as possible and prevent the feelings of incapacity that accompany the person who suffers from them. Treatment should usually combine a pharmacological approach with psychological support. At Guttmann Barcelona the cognitive-behavioural psychological model is followed.