Depression

The full name for depression is Major Depressive Disorder. It is a serious, yet common, mental disorder. On average, depression starts displaying symptoms in a person's late teens/early twenties, but its symptoms can show much earlier.  Although many people in the world endure this mental disorder, there is a fine line between depression and simple sadness. Some hardships in life, such as loss of a loved one, job, or relationship can lead one into extreme sadness. This they might refer to as “depression" and themselves as being "depressed." This sadness, however, is not always Major Depressive Disorder. Albeit for some, these hardships can cause clinical depression, as feelings of grief and Major Depressive Disorder can overlap.
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The Fine Line

​Often, people can confuse grief and depression. However, there is a fine line between the two which can be characterized by the following:

Grief: 

• When a person is in grief, feelings of pain come in waves and are mixed with positive feelings.
• A human emotion
• In time, it goes away.
• Self esteem is usually maintained. 

Depression:

• When a person is depressed, their moods and feelings of interest are decreased.
• ​A mental disorder, not an emotion​
• Fails to go away with time.
• Extreme effect upon one's life
• Feelings of worthlessness and even self-loathing are common.​

What to do if you Have Depression

​Reaching out to people is one of the best ways to defeat depression. If you feel you need more than help from a friend or family member, professional help is the next step one should take. Another way to help yourself is to get exercise. Exercise is proven to be as effective at relieving depression as some medications. It can be spread throughout the day, but you should exercise for at least 30 minutes each day. Any of these suggestions can be effective in fighting depression. 

What to do if your Friend/Family Member has Depression

First, educate yourself about depression. Knowing about the mental disorder is the first step in helping someone. Next, you need to overcome any sort of  embarrassment or shame and approach them. Getting them to talk honestly about their disorder is the best way to figure out how to help them. If needed, consult a professional. Some people need more help than others, and tackling the problem of someone else's depression is a difficult task if you do not know what to do. Knowing when and how to reach out is the number one way to approach this mental disorder.