When Parents Constantly Criticise: Is It Depression or Normal Sadness?

That genuinely sounds like a very hard place to be in. When the people who are supposed to build you up tell you that you have no good qualities, day after day, it starts to feel true — even when it is not. You are asking whether this is depression or just overthinking, and the honest answer is that both can live together. What you are describing — feeling like a loser every day, losing a sense of your own worth — is exactly the kind of weight that can turn into depression if it goes on too long. But the first thing to know is: what your parents say is not the truth about who you are. It is their frustration, their own pain, or their own way of expecting things they do not know how to express kindly. None of that makes it right.

What to look for

Depression is more than just feeling low after someone shouts at you. It stays even when you are alone, it drains your energy, your sleep and appetite change, and it makes you feel hopeless about anything ever changing. If that sounds familiar — if you have been feeling this way for weeks or months, not just after a fight — then there is a good chance depression is part of what is happening. The free self-test at depression.pk/test can give you a clearer idea, and it only takes a few minutes.

What you can do right now

• Separate their words from your worth. One thing that helps is to write down three small things you did today that went okay — even if it is just "I got out of bed" or "I made myself tea." Keep that list somewhere you can see it, and add to it every day. It is not an instant fix, but it starts to rebuild a voice that says something different from theirs.
• Tell someone safe. If you have a teacher, a cousin, a friend's mother, or even a helpline volunteer who will listen without judging, say the words out loud: "My parents tell me I am worthless and I am starting to believe it." Just speaking it to someone who does not agree with them can break the spell a little.
• Consider talking to a professional. This kind of family situation is not something you have to figure out alone. A therapist or counsellor can help you sort out what is depression and what is the effect of the environment, and give you tools for both. You can find someone who understands your context at depression.pk/find-help.

You do not have to decide today whether it is depression or overthinking. The main thing is that you are hurting, and you deserve relief from that hurt. Zara from our team is here to talk whenever you need — no judgment, no pressure. Just someone who listens.