How can I make my friends and family understand that my depression is a serious issue, not just me being dramatic?

Communicate your emotions to them directly.Tell them how you feel and how hard things are for you.They may not understand you completely but they will show more care concern. You can also make them read few articles about depression and keep them informed about steps you are taking to overcome depression.

Try to explain them how you feel, maybe you can show them a movie where the character feels like you and then tell them that you feel like him/her or also you can write a letter to them explaining them how you feel and that it's more serious than they think

First, it might be worth deciding which battles are worth fighting. I had depression for a while myself, and regrettably, some people might just ALWAYS think you're being dramatic. It's possible you won't be able to convince everyone, so it's important to think of who is most important to you. If you're willing to discuss the depths of your emotions with them, there's that. Also, there's the whole medical diagnosis. Are you getting treatment? A professional opinion could help, as well.

Many people are relatively uneducated about mental health, and do not understand that depression is a medical condition just like any other. They may not have been exposed to information about depression, outside of mainstream media portrayals, which are often reductive and inaccurate. In addition to describing how you feel, you may want to talk about the causes and common symptoms of depression. Speaking calmly, being prepared with resources, and being specific about events and thoughts that you have had is important. Having someone with whom you can speak openly about mental health is very important; seek out nonjudgmental friends and/or a therapist (preferably both). If you're already being treated for depression, sometimes it's helpful to talk to your folks with your therapist present, so your therapist can back you up and answer medical questions they may have. This site is a more complete guide on how to talk to others in your life about depression: http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/depression-management/talking-about-your-depression.aspx

By speaking up. By telling somebody. Tell your student counselor, or your teacher. Don't try to hide it. Speak up!

Perhaps you could suggest some reading material for them, as if they have never known depression, it may be difficult for them to understand. Sometimes people use the word depression to simply say that they are having a bad day or things are a bad right now, but this is very different from being medically depressed, as I am sure you are aware :) I have found that the following resources have helped me to explain to people what I am experiencing: http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/depression/#.VGOGbjSsWSo http://youtu.be/XiCrniLQGYc I wish you well.

When you have not experienced depression you might view it as an excuse or a crutch, almost paramount to a "I didn't wash the dishes today" excuse, which can prove fatal if you are unlucky. Usually trying to find the source of the depression helps, as something concrete might help them understand.

Explain to them that it is suffocating you from doing your day to day activities and you are unable to focus on anything in life.

In my case I found that actually letting my parents contact my doctor and let him explain the situation really helped them to understand and cope. Clearly you need to give your doctor notice and consent to give details about your condition. Another good way is to write it all down in a letter and lay it bare for them to read and it may help them understand.

you need to talk to your them about it. describe how you are feeling and how sad you get. if the still dont take it seriously you may need to get some professional care

You can talk to them them to show your feelings and not hide.They are going to enteder are people you most want in life , trust them

I call it a sort of reversed intervention, when you get them together (or individually) and try to explain that depression is a serious thing. In order to make them understand, come with arguments, send them well researched links for them to read and, most importantly, tell them exactly how you feel, tell them the steps you are taking towards your recovery and tell them how they can help you with the process - that you'd be grateful if they gave you their support and understanding. People often refuse to take things seriously when they do not understand them.

When trying to talk with your family, go sit somewhere together at a nice quiet place. Make sure they won't get distracted. Tell them your serious and that you need help and someone to trust.

Encourage them to seek support, perhaps from a family members support group. NAMI offers family groups, as do other mental health organizations. Education and support is the best way to fight the stigma and discourage ignorance on their part.

Explain to them that clinical depression is not just a feeling, it is an illness of the mind. It has been proven that the brains of those with depression are different from the brains of those without depression.

Again, talk about it. Tell them how you feel now, why you feel depressive, and how they can help you. First explain it to your family and if they understand you can get help and tell it to your friends.

Sit down with them and have a calm discussion explaining how it is affecting you and that you'd like to seek help.

I would suggest laying out the facts for them about depression. Have them read about it. Maybe they just haven't been shown just how common and severe of an issue it can be.

family and friend are the very important part of our life and they never misunderstood us but if its happing with you then you should talk very seriously with them .May be they are thinking that you are doing drama only because of your past history or may be they knew that your nature is very impulsive. you should talk with them that whatever you are suffering is not a drama and i hope that they will understand the same.

education is the best tool to help anyone understand the severity of any issue. Try educating them on what depression really is and how it effects people daily.