Will the real depression please stand up...

Someone I know has had a real string of bad luck. She really has had it rough. One thing after the other, relentless, bad luck. And everything from health to financial to car accidents and more financial issues. And through all of this she has sunken into this deep well of "oh, whoa is me."

She talks on and on about all the bad breaks, all the problems, and obsesses over it. She never sees the "bright sides," the ways in which it actually could be worse.

And she keeps talking about being depressed. How depressed she is because of all that has happened, all that is happening. And I don't doubt for a minute that she's having some situational depression. How could she not. But there seems to be a whole lot more self-pity than depression.

Someone else I know, who by all accounts has a really great life, put on her facebook page that she was depressed. It was quickly followed by a flurry of comments sympathizing and expressing well wishes.

I got to thinking about these easy, free wheeling, proclamations of depression. I have depression. Have been diagnosed by three doctors with chronic, clinical depression. And I'm quite certain it's something I began struggling with as a child. But I would never, do not ever, go around admitting my depression to anyone - not even my family - never mind the world via facebook.

It seems far more likely, to me, that someone with real depression would not go around talking about it, would not tell anyone who will listen, would not announce it to the world. People with depression suffer in silence. They're invisible in their disease. If you can so easily announce it and talk about it, than it seems like you probably don't really have it. Not clinically anyway.

I don't discount that people can feel very blue and depressed, can be down about events in their lives. But, in some ways, to freely label that as depression diminishes all that depression really is. It's not that easy to see in the light of day. It's not that easy to name and talk about. It's not something most people can wear on a down day like a brand new frock with the hopes of gaining attention from others.

Depression, in real life, is more likely invisible.