Depression is a disease, a mood disorder which influences emotions, cognitive function and actions of an individual. It is the 4th leading health problem worldwide. More than 350 million people in the world suffer from depression. Depression causes persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest, possibly leading to numerous emotional problems and to deterioration of physical health. The most common symptoms of depression are feelings of grief or a depressive state, outbursts of anger over minor issues, a loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities or an inability to experience pleasure from them, changes in appetite – weight loss or weight gain, sleeping disorders – insomnia or hypersomnia, lack of energy or an increased feeling of fatigue, aimless actions or sluggish movements and speech, a feeling of worthlessness or a misplaced feeling of guilt, problems reasoning or focusing properly, thoughts of death or suicide, physical pain without a clear cause. It is a known fact that it is normal to feel depressed sometimes. However, it is very important to recognize these feelings in due time. Depression is a serious public health issue because of its high morbidity and mortality rates. Fifteen percent of individuals suffering from depression commit suicide. It is important for affected individuals to seek help from a health care professional in order to rule out different causes of depression, establish an accurate differential diagnosis and provide safe and efficient treatment. The aim of this study was to establish to what extent the participants are familiar with symptoms of depression and to see to what extent they perceive them in their own emotional experience. The study population consisted of 242 individuals, 179 (74%) female and 63 (26%) male. At the completion of the study we concluded that the majority of participants are familiar with depression as a disease. One third of participants (32%) experienced symptoms of depression at some point of their life. Worldwide statistical data show that the percentage of individuals suffering from depression in the Republic of Croatia is 5,1% for men and 6,2% for women. It is quite clear that this percentage is substantially higher among individuals who participated in the study poll. Numerous studies have shown that depression is a disease with an increasing incidence rate. It is expected that depression will become the second most frequent disease in the coming years.