Situational Depression Vs Clinical Depression

Depression is becoming more and more understood due to many factors such as the rise of people being affected by it or by knowing loved ones, family and friends who have had to battle with these symptoms, campaigns challenging the stigma and people openly talking about their illness. When hearing the word depression many people associate it with a clinical diagnosis such as bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder etc. Depression does not only affect people who have a clinical diagnosis. Situational depression can affect people who do not live with a clinical mental health illness too.

Dr. Gronley Say's; Typically major stressors in life will bring on situational depression such as a divorce, death of a loved one, loss of a job, the economy or any factors that will negatively affect your life. Situational depression is always accompanied by traumatic events or stressful situations and will typically be short lived or continue with the presence of these events. SD can be very debilitating and should be treated, especially when it interferes with everyday tasks, relationships, and daily functioning. Clinical Depression (CD) is most evident when a combination of symptoms occurs without any apparent traumatic or stressful events present. Sometimes the major stressors in life will trigger Clinical Depression; when this occurs, making the distinction between SD and CD can be a challenge. We may look at the symptoms to see if they exist long after the stressful events have ceased. Sometimes a patient responding positively to an antidepressant will confirm that the disorder is CD because the medication is treating an imbalance of chemicals which are the underlying cause of CD. Chemical imbalances are typically not associated with SD; however, some genetic studies are “showing” that exposure to long periods of trauma or stress “might” turn certain genes on or off, may cause them to mutate and therefore affect the chemistry of the brain. These studies are in their early stages; however, scientists are making great efforts in the field of genetics and mental illness. We have already discovered that the more stressors/traumas that one has had, the more vulnerable one is to developing CD either presently or in the future; especially in those who are genetically predisposed to CD. Check out what Dr.Gronley's has to say in her article here.

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