[Josie 66]

I was diagnosed with depression when I was 19 (I'm 46 now) and have been on meds consistently and in therapy periodically that whole time. This summer, my daughter (age 21, only child) was diagnosed with cancer, my beloved mother (age 68) passed away, I had to put my dog down, and my boyfriend broke up with me.

All of the reading I'm doing on grief says depression is normal. I get that, but I'm terrified that the line will get blurred, I'll slide back into a major depression and won't realize it until it's too late. I am seeing a therapist right now, but I'm still so afraid. Does anyone have any advice on how to tell the difference between depression and normal grief stuff?

[Rohag]

Hello & Welcome, Josie 66!

My condolences on your losses and shocks. I'm afraid I cannot offer any insight on sifting the depression from the grief. Will your depression allow you to focus your grief on each specific loss?

My meds took away some of my suicidal tendencies, and I do feel somewhat a little differant.

The other stuff that happens that gets me down and gives me the blues i kinda just knock off of me. sorta a "screw that" attitude now.

i don't care about the small stuff, but i still don't care about me neither.
figure that out..

[layla11]

Its okay to be afraid, you are not alone. I herd something in theapy once that helps, sometimes we fall apart, but then we come back together stronger then ever.
We are smart and know and listen to yourself. Love yourself. You are okay

[Leed]

In 2001, my husband died, I lost a granddaughter, and my mother-in-law died, all in the span of 6 months. I thought I'd lose my mind. My husband had died 12 days short of our FIRST anniversary. We didn't know he was sick when we got married, so i was a total basket case.

I've been depressed since I was a small child, and have been on meds for probably about 40 years. So naturally I was grieving big time. I don't think anything has hit me that hard before and thank God my daughter came to stay with me for awhile because I just could not cope.

It took me quite awhile to get thru the grief, but I did -- and I KNEW when I was coming out of it. So I do think that you CAN tell when the grief is lifting, and when you're just normally depressed.

Then in 2003, my Mom died, and that hit me for a loop too because it wasn't expected. Once again I was grieving big time -- and once again I knew when the grief was lifting and I was just going back to being "normally" depressed. So you can tell.

Don't worry Josie. It takes time but you'll be able to tell. My prayers are with you my friend. God bless. Hugs, Lee

[Josie 66]

Thanks, folks, for the concern. Lee, I really appreciate your comments about going back to being "normally" depressed. Everything I read about grief talks about depression being just one stage of the process, but there's very little about how to cope if the underlying depression is already there. I'm just so scared that I won't know the difference--I don't want to end up in the hospital again. I hope that I, too, will "know" when I'm coming out of the grief--right now it seems like I never will. My logical brain tells me that's not true, but--as I'm sure everybody here knows--logic is no match for bad brain chemistry! And, Lee--wow. You've had some wallops, too, and I'm so sorry to hear of your multiple losses. You do give me hope, though, and I thank you for that.