What is the difference between grief and depression?
Feelings of sadness and depression are an integral part of grief, but grief itself is not considered a disorder. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders considers the depression associated with bereavement a "normal" reaction to loss, provided it is does not linger too long.
Depression which lingers beyond what is expected could be a sign that the stress of grieving has triggered a Major Depressive Episode. Studies have shown that the extreme stress associated with grief can trigger both medical illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer and the common cold, as well as psychiatric disorders like depression and anxiety.
There is no way to define a normal length of bereavement since it varies from person to person and culture to culture. According to the DSM-IV, a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder is generally not given unless symptoms have lasted beyond two months.
We can Distinguish Grief from Major Depression. Grief has several symptoms in common with Major Depressive Disorder including sadness, insomnia, poor appetite and weight loss. Where they differ is that grief tends to be trigger-related. In other words, the person may feel relatively better while in certain situations, such as when friends and family and are around to support them. But triggers, like the deceased loved one’s birthday, could cause the feelings to resurface more strongly. Major depression, on the other hand, tends to be more pervasive, with the person rarely getting any relief from their symptoms. An exception to this would be Atypical Depression, in which positive events can bring about an improvement in mood. A person with Atypical Depression, however, tends to exhibit symptoms that are the opposite of those commonly experienced with grief, such as sleeping excessively, eating more, and gaining weight.
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Grief is a natural reaction to the loss of an important relationship. As human beings, our bonds to each other develop early (virtually at birth), are strong and often influence major decisions in our life. When we lose a significant relationship in our lives, it is natural for us to feel sadness or other depressive symptoms, such as loss of appetite and disturbed sleep. In fact, about 30 percent of people who have lost a significant other will continue to have these symptoms two months after the loss. These symptoms, however, usually lessen within six months. Although both conditions may have depressed mood, loss of appetite, sleep disturbance and decreased energy, people with depression usually experience a sense of worthlessness, guilt and/or low self-esteem that is not common in normal grief reactions. For some, a grief reaction can develop into a major depression. For example, about 15 percent of grieving individuals will develop major depression after one year of a loss.
