Depression, though not explicitly mentioned by name, appears in The Sims and its expansions. It is the result of a Sim's motives not being fulfilled. It is inspired by the real life mental disorder which shares the same name. If a Sim's motives are neglected for long enough, especially social, the Sim's mood will begin to drop into the red area, and the Sim will eventually become depressed. A depressed Sim will refuse to look for jobs, whether it be via computer or newspaper. If a Sim is already employed, he/she will not automatically decide to go to work when the carpool shows up, instead they will have to be prompted. He/She will also refuse to take part in most skill-building activities, such as chess or reading a skill book. In The Sims 2 and The Sims 3, nightmares can also be a result of depression. A depressed Sim will occasionally weep and have bad thoughts. An easy, though expensive, way to fix it is to send the Sim(s) on vacation. If they become depressed on their vacation, it will be necessary to send them home.
If a Sim's mood drops all the way to the bottom (-100 in The Sims 3), the Sim may simply refuse to do anything, even if directed to by the player.
