Depression and Grief – where is the overlap?

When people speak about depression, as in a Major Depressive Episode, they might be referring to a specific set of duration and severity indicators that meet the medical diagnostic model and the associated label used in research, and therefore, evidence-based care. 

On the other hand, not everyone finds a medical model or diagnostic labels helpful, and the word depression could refer to the broader, heterogenous group of human experiences related to feeling depressed, low, or down.

Grief, for example, can also be as varied and as complex an experience as each individual, with relevance to their social and cultural context.  It’s somewhat accepted that prolonged and complicated grief is more likely to be associated with emergence of depression. 

The distinction between these two experiences can be helpful when we are trying to make meaning or consider the variety of approaches available.  For example, when to seek support as human being with a challenging loss (counselling for grief) and/or when to seek treatment for depression that has begun to affect that person’s function or quality of life. 

In real life (and clinical practice), the search for the distinction and overlap between the above concepts could yield indirect benefits, such as a deeper understanding of the self.  Those interested in longer term, explorative therapy might also find it helpful to insight-oriented and psychodynamic therapies.

If you want to find out more about Depression and Grief, and how your experience is related to these, feel free to reach out to one of our Psychologists to discuss further.