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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
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 ❤
JJill1
January 29th, 2018 8:14am
Mental illness can have such a broad spectrum of problems and symptoms, it can be completley different for some people. I know personally in my life my friend is similar in some ways with her depression, but we differ GREATLY in a lot of other areas (Like I love to go out it helps me clear my mind, but she likes to stay in and relax.) :) Everyones unique and alike at the same time! :P
DeterminedlyAsh
December 5th, 2017 1:00am
Oh it is definitely different for everyone! Everyone is an individual so it effects them differently. It also depends on the type. I have dysythmia and one of my friends has MDD. We're both depressed but effected very differently.
Anonymous
November 17th, 2014 2:24am
Depression can be different for everyone. The experience and range of it is different for all people. Everyone has their own unique cognitive process, and the way they interpret information. So depression can definitely be experience differently for everyone, however the symptoms, and the emotions that are felt in depression can be similar between individuals. Depression is not uncommon, but the extent and degree of them are different between individuals.
Philiptowsey1976
November 7th, 2017 11:36pm
Depression can be different for many people varying in mild to severe disorders . Some can cope better then others and some need special attention
SnailBubbles
May 23rd, 2017 2:11pm
Depression is never the same for everyone because we are all different. We may have similar symptoms, but no two people will ever go through a scenario the same way. That is what makes life unique and interesting.
Anonymous
October 24th, 2014 2:35pm
Depression is different for everyone, because if you think about it, everyone has different backgrounds, some may have experienced loss, others might just feel a bit sad.
NikiTaylor
October 27th, 2014 2:27am
Depression is different for everyone. Sure, there are certain criteria to diagnose someone with depression in the DSM-5, but even if people suffer similar symptoms, they suffer them in different ways. Every person is unique and so how they perceive their depression is unique. No one goes through exactly the same thing.
Millichidulinas
July 12th, 2016 11:50am
It is different for everyone beacause we are all different people. Depression is something really personal and the feelings are maybe kinda of the same for someone buthey can be totally different for others. It's all relative.
Anonymous
November 17th, 2015 3:16pm
It causes are different for each other. But it's symptoms are same, and so does the environment around us.
Anonymous
July 4th, 2016 11:51am
depression is different for everyone. everyones story is different therefore the thing that triggered the depression would be different and the way they cope with it or see their life would be another perspective to an other. some feelings and/or symptoms of depression could be the same
EyeRain56
May 30th, 2016 4:08am
it can definitely be different for different people. Yes, there are certain things professionals look for but it can be different!
musicalPeace43
May 23rd, 2016 10:43pm
It's different from everyone because different things may lead different people to depression
Anonymous
April 19th, 2016 7:47pm
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.
KatieWhite
April 19th, 2016 12:44am
Psychologists say men and women show different symptoms. For instance men tend to be more irritable when they're depressed but women tend to show signs of indifference.
Anonymous
March 22nd, 2016 9:16am
Depression can vary from person to person, some may feel it all the time whereas others can have it time to time based upon their situation. You feel the same way but some people feel a higher/ stronger depression than others.
MsHoneyBee
February 1st, 2016 12:26pm
I believe depression can have many different levels depending on the level of stress the person is going through
CielIsMe
January 19th, 2016 1:16am
Depression comes in many different forms. It all depends on how the person thinks, feels, and reacts.
GlitterBugIssy
January 4th, 2016 8:43pm
The way different people experience depression will be different for everyone as you are all in different situations with different brains and different emotions, essentially different people. There are some basic symptoms doctors and other professionals will look for but even those will be experienced differently by different people.
GoldenEars77
January 4th, 2016 1:40pm
“Some people live as though they are already dead. There are people moving around us who are consumed by their past, terrified of their future, and stuck in their anger and jealousy. They are not alive; they are just walking corpses.”
Anonymous
November 30th, 2015 7:25am
I can't directly speak for everybody but depression is a chemical imbalance and so the biology is the same but people handle it very differently and some peoples imbalances are more severe than others.
GoldenRuleJG
July 26th, 2023 1:54pm
Depression can look different for different people. Like any mental health condition there is a range from mild to moderate to severe. You may share similar characteristics with certain individuals or have contrasting characteristics. How each person copes with depression can vary whether it be healthy (mindfulness, prayer, seeking emotional support from friends and family , having a routine such as exercise , good healthy eating and sleep, journalling) or unhealthy (sex, drugs, alcohol to fill up a void). You are welcome to chat about your experiences in the Depression Support room or even seek 1-1 emotional support from one of our listeners on our site.
NumberEleven
July 18th, 2016 2:46pm
Depression affects everyone the same in the way that it makes everyone down and sometimes even suicidal, but the effects of depression can be very different, there are people who have loud, explosive, angry depressive episodes, and others with soft, crying depressive ones. It varies.
krazyzoeyyy101
August 16th, 2016 3:37pm
It can be different. Nobody feels anything the same way as other people. For me it might be crying at night. For you it might be just feeling empty inside if that makes sense.
Anonymous
November 7th, 2016 6:43am
It can always be different. Everyone is unique in a special way and so will be their depression. Some things will be the same while others will be different.
Anonymous
November 14th, 2016 6:12am
Depression is different for every person. Just like any other emotion, people sense things differently.
positiveHoliday65
November 21st, 2016 11:14am
Depression can be different. For some people depression is the result of breakdowns, for others is the result of family discussions. And that affects in different ways depending the person who suffer it.
Anonymous
December 4th, 2017 4:34am
I guess it can differ from person to person. For example it can cause insomnia in one person, but another person can simply sleep too much in order to avoid being conscious. So i think basic characteristics will be the same, but everybody has something specific added to it.
Howellsey
February 20th, 2018 6:10pm
For many people Depression is not the same. People experience depression on very different levels with many different causes. Their symptoms won't always be the same as others or they might be worse or better. It all depends really on the person.
Liliamsophia18
May 14th, 2018 7:36pm
Depression is different for each person, it is entirely related to personal experiences, however some sypmtoms are quite similar for all the people affected. But the treatment should be specific for each patient