Depression vs. Grief

It can often be difficult to distinguish between depression and grief.

Depression	Grief
Mood and/or interest in activities decreases and lasts MOST of the time for at least 2 weeks	Painful feelings come in waves, often intermixed with positive memories
Feelings of worthlessness and self-loathing are common	Self-esteem is usually maintained
Thoughts of ending one’s life are due to feeling worthless or undeserving of living	Thoughts of death may surface when thinking about “joining” a deceased loved one