system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Can depression and other mood disorders decrease mental ability? Can it make you dumber?
gpt
Licensed clinician here. Cognitive impairment with depressive disorders is a common symptom. Clients show decreased memory and attention, with increased disorganization of thought. In some clients, these symptoms can remit with treatment (meds and therapy). In clients with depression that is treatment refractory, those symptoms can be pervasive even with treatment.