Life has its ups and downs for all of us. Things happen, people change and circumstances evolve over time. We do our best to deal with it, but it is possible to feel overwhelmed by it all and feel ‘depressed’. But does feeling depressed mean you have depression?
What is ‘depression’? Google around and you can find the clinical definition for depression. I am not listing the entirety of it here, but having a depressed/low mood for most of the day, nearly every day, is one of the many criteria one would need to meet. What doctors and clinicians refer to is a document called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the latest edition of which is the DSM-5. If you meet the requisite number of criteria as defined in DSM-5, you would then be diagnosed as having clinical depression.
It is thus possible that you feel a number of symptoms, but still fall short of getting a diagnosis of depression. You may or may not be relieved at such news. You may feel confused and helpless, i.e. “If it is not depression, then what is happening to me?” A simple truism is this – if you feel depressed, then you feel depressed. Your feelings are real and should not be ignored. You can choose to do something about it. At home, spend time with your pet (if you have one) and open all the blinds/curtains during the day to fill your house with natural light and fresh air. Confide in family and friends because having social support means a lot in times like this. If you feel alone and so overwhelmed that it is affecting your daily functioning, it may be time to seek professional counselling help.