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Is depression the same for everyone, or can it be different?

100 Answers
Last Updated: 07/26/2023 at 1:54pm
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
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Polly Letsch, LCSW

Clinical Social Work/Therapist

I provide non-judgmental, person-centered, objective therapeutic treatment for individuals of all ages to improve social, emotional, mental and other areas of functioning.

Top Rated Answers
AFriendInNeed
November 13th, 2014 7:41pm
Depression is different for everyone. It is largely related to the way that we view the world and our experiences with it. So, the experience of depression is as unique and individual as the person experiencing it.
MirandaD
November 12th, 2014 4:34pm
It can definitely be different for everyone. Some people that have depression find it crippling and unbearable, while others find it a nuisance at worst. Everyone has a different cause of their depression, and therefore treatment is different for everyone. Some find therapy helps, while others benefit from medications. Most people find an effective balance between therapy and medications can lift their depressive symptoms enough to live normal happy lives!
Saraahh
November 1st, 2014 8:12am
Depression varies from person to person. Some people may have very severe depression while others may have mild depression. Some people may feel empty while others may feel overwhelmed with emotions. Really varies from person to person.
Arwa
October 29th, 2014 3:56pm
It's definitely different for everyone. Yes, sometimes we could share feelings and thoughts, but we never experience depression the same way. Depression has a very wide of range of severity. Not all symptoms of clinical depression has to be in the person to be considered depressed. And how we deal with depression also differ so in the end our whole experience of being depressed is totally different.
guyinasuit
November 18th, 2014 6:51pm
For every individual depression will be totally different. Apart from the obvious few bits which most people will suffer, you may have different triggers, different severity of it, different ways of coping. When you have depression, it's all about YOU. And you shouldn't focus on anyone else if you are trying to get better - do what works for you.
calmsteve
November 2nd, 2014 11:29pm
Saying depression is the same for everyone is like saying everyone's finger print is identical. Depression metabolizes differently in everyone. It could be due to work, Family, money or even your looks. There is no simple cure all or fix to depression because no two cases are the same.
Nexilva
November 4th, 2014 10:13am
Depression can manifest in a multitude of ways, and there is no right or wrong way to ''be'' depressed.
CupOfMint
November 10th, 2014 8:53pm
Depression has some basic symptoms but as any other situation and feeling, people live it differently.
PriscilaOrellana
November 18th, 2014 1:30am
It's different in each person, everybody has different pains, everybody suffers in different ways and everybody can overtake it too.
neverletlifetakeyourspark
November 17th, 2014 5:07pm
People are not exactly the same, so even if something exactly the same happens to two different people, they might not react the same way. So, yes. Not everyone will experience depression in the same way.
Anonymous
October 29th, 2014 4:20pm
I believe it is different for everyone! No person on earth can possibly have the exact same feelings.
Erynn
November 20th, 2014 11:08am
Depression is different for different people. For example: my girlfriend gets depressed in a way that makes her sleep a lot and not feel hungry and feel empty inside. I get depressed in a way that makes me feel foggy and pointless but I am still able to get out of bed, but my concentration gets really bad. I also tend to eat more when I am depressed. My mom gets irritable (as do I) when she is depressed and gets bad migraines. She naps a lot and her sleep schedule gets wonky so she sleeps from around 4pm to 11pm and is awake through the early morning and day. My grandpa gets depressed in a way that makes him withdrawn and quiet, but he stays active and doesn't talk about it. My sister gets suicidal and engages in risky behaviors. My friend's brother yells and gets very angry and skips school to avoid social situations. A diagnosis of depression is really just saying that you fix a certain minimum number of a list of symptoms. So what depression is like has certain limits - like a super energetic, rapid-thoughts, and psychosis will never be depression - but within the definition of Depression are many variations. You can have different combinations of those symptoms, and you can experience those symptoms in different ways than other people. If you are not sure if you have depression or not (because sometimes people ask when they are trying to understand what they are experiencing) it can help to talk to a doctor, counselor, or psychiatrist about what you're experiencing.
peacefulHug92
February 13th, 2018 6:13pm
100% different. For some people, feeling tearful is a main symptom. For others, they feel like they can't cry. Some have no motivation, others have some motivation but dont get any enjoyment from what they do. Therfore, depression is different for everyone - nobody experiences it the same way someone else does. Hope this helps ❤
HerforU2580
November 1st, 2014 5:02pm
Depression has many different sytoms and many people suffer from depression so yes it is not the same for every one
RealisticConvosation
April 3rd, 2018 6:25pm
Depression is different for everyone, there’s always help for everyone though, just becuas ehat your feeling may be different to others, it does not mean you are alone, there is help for everyone out there. :)
HakunaMatataSmile
January 25th, 2016 11:31pm
Of course it can be different! Symptoms might be similar and overlap with other illnesses, but everyone is individual.
Anonymous
April 4th, 2015 7:07am
Depression is not at all same for everyone. It has different forms, it affects in different ways. However, its not been able to completely study depression till now. Some may feel hopeless, others may feel not interested in life. For some it affects sleep, while for others it does not. We have a set of symptoms whose presence partially confirms the presence of depression. Further diagnosis is based on proffesional screening.
kazia202
September 15th, 2014 5:31pm
Depression can be different for every person based on your own personal situation and feelings. However, some people may have similar symptoms and side-effects of depression as you. It is uncommon for two people to handle depression the exact same way.
Anonymous
November 11th, 2014 10:09pm
There are some things about depression that are the same, but other things that are different. For example, most people who suffer from depression have a negative outlook about their life and the world in general. However, the way they think about it can be different. Some people exaggerate things while others immediately jump to conclusions.
Anonymous
October 31st, 2014 9:57am
It can be different for other people. Depression is never same for everyone, for some people it can be very strong but for others it won't.
Anonymous
November 12th, 2014 4:46am
I think depression is the same for everyone. You know, we all, at one point in time, experience depression for some reason. What makes a difference is how a person handles the depression, how the person would take it, and what the person will have to do to help him/herself.
Alaa
November 2nd, 2014 1:32am
Depression is a feeling, but it can be different depending on the cause - it depends on your experience that caused it!
Luceee
November 3rd, 2014 12:43pm
Depression can be different for everyone. Medication works for some, and not for others. Meditation works for some, and not for others. Exercise seems to be a pretty safe bet for everyone. Everyone has different symptoms and different triggers, which is why if one thing doesn't work for you..Don't give up.
Anonymous
November 4th, 2014 12:45am
Depression is different for everyone! We all have our own unique chemistry and life experiences. If you're feeling depressed, talk to someone you trust or seek a professional-- they can help you better understand what time of depression you have and how to address it.
Fallgum
November 5th, 2014 10:48pm
it is just the opposite, it is different for everyone, because i can feel sad about my granddad that died, but you can feel sad about how you do at school, still we are both sad but will expirience it different. a car is a car, but a mercedes drives different as an ford
FlickeringCandle
November 8th, 2014 9:56pm
It can be very different, depending on your circumstances. There are multiple types: bipolar, seasonal, etc.
enchantingWind58
November 9th, 2014 12:25pm
Depression varies a lot. It's different for everyone. That's why there are so many methods to help people with depression. To me, depression was like a wall of fog and I could not see behind it.
Anonymous
November 10th, 2014 5:18am
There is no set definition for depression, everyone can experience different variations. There are common symptoms, but overall, it's rarely the same for anyone.
Sputnik
November 11th, 2014 12:11am
The degrees and the reason for depression may vary from person to person. But the end result is the same of disliking them.
Anonymous
November 11th, 2014 3:33am
It can be different for everyone. One big example of a difference that could happen is there are some who sleep more than normal and then there are those who have trouble sleeping at all. Both, however, can be diagnosed with depression.