Although several studies have reported the poor mental health of patients suffering from chronic viral hepatitis, few reports exists on the correlation of mental health and virus type. The current study was conducted to assess the severity of depression in chronic hepatitis B and to evaluate the effect of chronic hepatitis B virus infection on the psychological state of patients who were carriers of hepatitis B virus (n:20) and those with chronic hepatitis B or cirrhosis (n:22). The effects of chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) on the lives of 42 patients were studied by means of a questionnaire. The considered aspects were: social, sexual, and family life, physical and psychological health, and work. 35 patients considered that their lives to have been affected (15 mildly, 12 moderately, and 8 severely). The most affected life aspects were: sexual (10), psychological (11), physical (7), work (6), social (4), and family (3). Most of the problems encountered were related to infectivity.