What it means
افسردگی (afsordegi) is the noun form of افسرده (afsorde, depressed, wilted), which traces back to the Persian verb afsordan, meaning to freeze, to wilt, or to lose vitality. The word is entirely pure Persian in origin. It is used both clinically, as the formal diagnosis of depressive disorder, and in everyday speech to describe low mood or persistent sadness. A close synonym in colloquial speech is دلگیری (delgiri, heartache, mild dejection), which is weaker. In clinical writing you may also see اختلال افسردگی اساسی (ekhtellâl-e afsordegi-ye asâsi, major depressive disorder), but افسردگی alone is the word most Iranians use and recognize.
How to use it
- افسردگی یه بیماریه، نه یه ضعفه. (afsordegi ye bimâriye, na ye za’fe.) “Depression is an illness, not a weakness.”
- روانپزشک گفت که افسردگی دارم. (ravânpezeshk goft ke afsordegi dâram.) “The psychiatrist said I have depression.”
- افسردگی بعد از زایمان خیلی رایجه. (afsordegi bad az zâymân kheyli râyeje.) “Postpartum depression is very common.”
- درمان افسردگی ممکنه. (darmân-e afsordegi momkene.) “Treatment for depression is possible.”
Cultural note
Awareness of افسردگی as a medical condition has grown significantly in Iran over the past two decades, partly driven by high-profile campaigns and social media content from Iranian psychologists. Historically, mental health struggles were often explained through spiritual or social frameworks, and seeking psychiatric help carried stigma, particularly in older generations and rural areas. That landscape is shifting among younger Iranians in cities, where therapy and medication for depression are increasingly discussed openly. Postpartum depression (افسردگی بعد از زایمان) has received particular attention in maternal health campaigns.