Are you DEPRESSED or depressed? You feel sad, hopeless, tired and you wonder, "Am I DEPRESSED?" You don't want to go out with friends, they say, "You're DEPRESSED!" Are you DEPRESSED? What difference does it make? Should you care? YES YES YES - You should know the difference between DEPRESSION and an unhappy mood. You should know the difference between DEPRESSION and wanting time alone. You should know the difference because DEPRESSION, capital D DEPRESSION, is a treatable psychological disorder. Understand that "depression"- the feeling or mood - is a normal, predictable, healthy - yes healthy - reaction to certain circumstances. The absence of "depression" - the feeling - at times can be a sign of psychological disorder. "DEPRESSION" the condition - may worsen and have severe heath related consequences if untreated. Misreading "depression" - the feeling - as "DEPRESSION" causes a person to overlook the meaning conveyed by the feeling. If your mood is down, you feel blue, unhappy - you deserve to understand what this means, about you - your present or your past. Before you assume you are "DEPRESSED", figure out what led up to the feelings of unhappiness. Examine separately the real world factors and the your interpretation of those events. HINT: If you are being self-critical, you will not be able to decipher the information. Self-criticism, especially if harsh, repetitive, and unfair, creates DEPRESSION.