Mental health organisations across the United States and Britain extended World Mental Health Day events into Sunday, with psychiatrists urging the public to recognise depression symptoms that do not present as sadness. The push follows renewed clinical attention to anhedonia, fatigue and irritability as early warning signs.

The World Federation for Mental Health designates October 10 each year for the observance, but hospitals, universities and charities including Mind in the UK and the National Alliance on Mental Illness in the US scheduled weekend screenings and awareness drives. Organisers stressed that persistent loss of interest in daily activities, rather than low mood, is frequently the first sign clinicians look for.

Psychiatrists emphasised that anhedonia — the inability to feel pleasure — is among the most overlooked indicators of major depressive disorder. Disrupted sleep, concentration problems and unexplained physical fatigue often precede any reported sadness, delaying diagnosis in men and older adults in particular.

The heightened messaging arrives as public figures, including British television host Alison Hammond and Australian comedian Judith Lucy, have spoken publicly about anxiety, panic attacks and health crises. Advocacy groups said such disclosures help reduce stigma and encourage earlier help-seeking among people who do not identify with classic depressive symptoms.

A Mind spokesperson said the charity expected elevated demand on its information lines through the weekend. The organisation urged anyone noticing sustained changes in energy, sleep or interest to consult a general practitioner rather than wait for mood symptoms to appear.