Depression, Grief and Loss: How to tell the difference

Many of us commonly use to the word "depression" to mean feeling sad. This can lead to a lot of confusion and minimize the effects of this serious illness. Depression is not the inevitable outcome of a signficant loss in your life but a signficant loss does put you at risk for developing clinical depression.

Common risk factors are:

A family history of depression. There is a genetic component. If you have had clinical depression before, it can reoccur. Major lifestyle changes, stress and loss. Suffering from low self-esteem and a negative outlook increases your risk. Having a serious medical conditions like heart disease, cancer, and HIV can contribute. Suffering from other psychological disorders such as anxiety disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and substance abuse.

Most grievers will experience feelings of deep sadness and overwhelming tiredness which can also be symptoms of depression. The only way to know for sure if you are experiencing more than normal grief is to discuss your feelings and symptoms with your doctor.

When in doubt, have the conversation with your doctor.

Here is a link to a simple screening tool to help you get started. http://www.depression-screening.org/

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