At least three million Italians suffer from depression. “A state of malaise, a loss of energy, a difficulty doing what we were doing before, does not always depend on ourselves but can be a sign of an illness,” says Emi Bondi, president of the Italian Society of Psychiatry. But how do you know when you’re feeling bad? “We all have mood swings that can be linked to life events. The elements that must give us insight into the disease are the intensity and duration of the symptoms,” explains the expert. This indicates what treatment options are available. Valeria Pini in the studio