Depression and Grief: The Difference

"It's just a phase."

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also curable. Depression produces unhappiness and/or a loss of interest in previously appreciated activities. It can cause a slew of mental and physical issues, as well as a reduction in your capacity to operate at work and at home. In any given year, depression affects about one in every 15 persons (6.7 percent). One in every six people (16.6%) will suffer from depression at some point in their lives. Depression can strike at any age, but it is most common in late adolescence and early adulthood. Women are more prone to suffer from depression than males. According to some research, one-third of women will have a significant depressive episode over their lives. When first-degree relatives (parents/children/siblings) suffer from depression, there is a high degree of heritability (about 40%).

A person's grief might be exacerbated by the death of a loved one, the loss of a career, or the termination of a relationship. It's natural to experience melancholy or grief in response to such circumstances. Those who have suffered a loss may describe themselves as "depressed." However, sadness is not the same as depression. Grief is a natural and individual process that shares some of the same characteristics as depression. Grief and depression can both cause extreme sadness and a withdrawal from daily activity. They're also distinct in a number of ways.

In sorrow, painful emotions come in waves, frequently blended with happy recollections of the deceased. Mood and/or interest (pleasure) are reduced during the majority of two weeks in serious depression. Self-esteem is frequently preserved when people are grieving. Feelings of worthlessness and self-loathing are typical in serious depression. When thinking of or fantasizing about "joining" a deceased loved one, thoughts of death may arise. In serious depression, thoughts turn to taking one's life because one feels worthless or unworthy of living, or because one is unable to cope with the anguish of despair.

The death of a loved one, the loss of a career, or being the victim of a physical assault or a big tragedy can all lead to depression in certain people. Grief that is accompanied by depression is more acute and lasts longer than grief that is not accompanied by depression. It's critical to distinguish between grieving and depression so that people can obtain the aid, support, and treatment they require.