Understanding Grief and Depression: What’s the Difference?

Table of Contents

• Grief and Its Symptoms
• Depression and Its Symptoms
• What is the Difference Between Grief and Depression?
• Grief or Depression: What to Look For- Quiz
• Grief and Depression Counseling: When and How to Seek Help
• About Opal’s Affordable Cremation in Los Angeles
• FAQs
• Additional Resources

Key Takeaways

• Although grief and depression are similar, they have their differences. It’s important to identify what is impacting you so you can find the help you need.
• Generally, grief comes in waves and is more focused on the loss. Depression is more persistent and may be related to various factors.
• Seek help if you find grief or depression impacts your ability to function, causes medical conditions, or suicidal thoughts.
• As a licensed cremation provider, Opal helps grieving families by alleviating the stress of a loss through compassionate, comprehensive services.

Many of us experience depression at some point in our lives, but grief is a different beast. It typically occurs due to a significant loss, including losing a loved one, a job, or a breakup. It comes in waves and may decrease over time, but can be triggered by certain circumstances.

Grief and depression can overlap, and symptoms are similar. However, it’s important to know which you are experiencing to get the right support. Approaches can vary in the healing process.

This article explains the difference between the two, helping you find the best way to deal with your emotions.

Opal is all too familiar with grief and its symptoms. We do our best to take the stress off your shoulders so that you can focus on healing. Our team also offers affordable, all-inclusive packages, ensuring financial stress and hidden fees don’t add to your emotional burden.

Contact us to learn more about how we assist with direct cremation in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego.

Grief and Its Symptoms

Grief usually takes place after the loss of a loved one, a treasured item, or even a piece of news that alters one’s life. While symptoms vary for each person, they might include:

• Loss or change in appetite
• Sleep disruption
• Fatigue
• Crying a lot
• Difficulty focusing
• Withdrawing from social activities
• Suicidal thoughts
• Feeling sad, hopeless, or lonely
• Lack of self-care
• Feelings of anger toward themselves, other people, or even the loved one who passed away

Depression and Its Symptoms

Depression is a clinical condition. To be clinically depressed, the following symptoms must be present every day for at least two weeks:

• Feeling sad or irritable
• Loss of interest in activities that used to make you happy
• Weight loss
• Sleeping too much or not sleeping enough
• Moving slower and with less urgency
• Loss of energy
• Sense of worthlessness or guilt
• Having trouble focusing and making decisions
• Thoughts about death or suicide

What is the Difference Between Grief and Depression?

So far, the symptoms of grief and depression may seem quite similar. However, there are key differences to focus on, as follows:

• Medical Diagnosis: Depression is a medically diagnosed, clinical condition. Grief is not.
• Comes in Waves vs. Ongoing: Grief comes over you in waves. Depression is an ongoing condition that lasts two weeks or more.
• Different Treatment Approaches: Although treatments for grief and depression can overlap, there are specific therapies for each. For example, depression is often treated with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT). In contrast, grief can be treated with Complicated Grief Treatment (CGT) or Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy (MCGT).
• Connection to Loss: Grief is always connected to loss. While depression can occur after a loss, it can also be linked to other stressful life events. Some people have a chemical imbalance that may make them feel depressed, seemingly for no reason.

“Depression tends to be quite global. Grieving really focuses on that loved one. It’s really about, I need this person to be back. I can’t make it without this person with me. And so, it’s a slightly different experience.”

Mary-Frances O’Connor, associate professor of clinical psychology and psychiatry at the University of Arizona, and the director of clinical training in the interview “Speaking Psychology: How Grieving Changes the Brain.”

Opal knows grief is complicated to deal with. We do all we can to make the process as easy as possible, giving you less to deal with at this difficult time. Contact us at 888-714-8481 to learn more about direct cremation near me.

Grief or Depression: What to Look For? Quiz

Clearly, there is a lot of overlap between grief and depression. Here’s a short quiz to help you identify the differences between the two. The answers will either be A. Grief, B. Depression, or C. Both 

1. The person has experienced a loss. 
2. The person is focusing on themselves. 
3. The person experiences some waves of happiness, some waves of sadness. 
4. The person experiences waves of physical impairment, some waves of feeling okay. 
5. The person generally isolates and prefers to be left alone. 
6. The person’s emotions are all over the place. 
7. The person generally feels guilty about everything. 
8. The person feels worthless and hates themselves. 
9. The thoughts of death the person experiences relates to having lost the loved one and wanting to be with them. 

Answers:

1. C. Both
   Grief stems from having lost someone or something and depression can also stem from a loss before it manifests.
2. B. Depression
   Typically, someone going through grief focuses on the person they loved and lost, while with depression, they are focusing on themselves and their own problems (or their perceived problems).
3. A. Grief
   Someone experiencing grief may feel happy sometimes and sad the next. Generally, someone who is depressed is sad all the time.
4. A. Grief
   Someone struggling with grief might feel physically okay sometimes, physically not other times. Someone who is depressed is generally always physically affected.
5. B. Depression
   This is a tricky one, but some who are grieving prefer to be surrounded by people, but generally those who are depressed self-isolate.
6. A. Grief
   Someone who is dealing with grief might feel sad, happy, and regretful in one day whereas someone who is depressed generally always feels one particular emotion.
7. B. Depression
   Someone who is going through grief may feel guilty about aspects of losing the loved one, like they could have done more, while people who are depressed generally always feel guilt.
8. B. Depression
   Someone who is depressed has a sense of worthlessness, whereas someone going through grief might feel that way only related to the loss and otherwise would feel okay.
9. A. Grief
   Someone who is experiencing grief might think about death because they miss their loved one, while someone who’s depressed might be thinking about death because they feel they are unable to cope with their pain.

Grief or Depression: What to Look For? Quiz

The overlap between grief and depression can make it difficult for you to determine which you are dealing with. The following quiz can help.  Here’s how it works.

Read each statement. If the statement describes your emotional state, look at the answers to determine if it’s a symptom of: A. Grief, B. Depression, or C. Both

1. You experienced a loss. 
2. You focus on yourself. 
3. Emotions come in waves, ranging from happy to sad. 
4. You feel waves of physical impairment not tied to a specific condition. 
5. You generally isolate and prefer to be left alone. 
6. Your emotions are all over the place. 
7. You feel guilty about everything. 
8. You feel worthless and hate yourself. 
9. You have suicidal thoughts related to the loss of a loved one. 

Answers:

1. Both
   Both grief and depression can be related to a loss. Depression typically occurs in the early stages before developing into grief.
2. Depression
   Typically, someone experiencing grief focuses on the person they loved and lost, while with depression, they focus on themselves and their own problems (or their perceived problems).
3. Grief
   Someone experiencing grief may feel happy one minute and sad the next. Generally, someone who is depressed is sad all the time.
4. Grief
   A wave of grief can lead to physical impairment that is relieved once the wave passes. Depression is often linked to ongoing physical symptoms.
5. Depression
   Symptoms can vary, but generally, grieving people prefer to be surrounded by others, while those who are depressed self-isolate.
6. Grief
   Someone who is dealing with grief might feel sad, happy, and regretful in one day, whereas someone who is depressed generally feels one particular emotion consistently.
7. Depression
   Someone who is going through grief may feel guilty about aspects of losing the loved one. They may feel they could have done more or wish they had been taken instead. People who are depressed generally always feel guilt tied to various situations.
8. Depression
   Depression often leads to a sense of worthlessness. Someone experiencing grief may also feel worthless, but this emotion is typically only related to the loss.
9. Grief
   Someone who is experiencing grief might think about death because they want to be reunited with their loved one. Suicidal thoughts may occur in depressed people because they feel they are unable to cope with their pain.

Grief and Depression Counseling: When and How to Seek Help

Grief and depression have another commonality- they can both get to a point where they become overwhelming. Although symptoms vary, here are some signs that indicate you need help:

• Your emotions interfere with your ability to complete daily tasks
• You develop physical symptoms and medical conditions related to your emotional issues
• You have suicidal thoughts

If you or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms, encourage them to get help from a doctor or therapist. Assistance can be expensive, but you may find free or low-cost services in your community. Ask local organizations or do online research to find the help you need.

About Opal’s Affordable Cremation in Los Angeles

At Opal Cremation, we know the passing of a loved one can be a grief-filled and emotional time. That’s why our goal is—and always will be—to help friends and family of the departed navigate the uncertainty while keeping cremation cost in California low.

Unlike some of our competitors, we would never dream of trying to take advantage of families during this difficult time. Our cremation services are all-inclusive, and our pricing is always transparent, with no unexpected, unpleasant surprises. The price we quote is the price you pay.

We further reduce stress by allowing clients to make arrangements over the phone. Our team handles every aspect of the direct cremation process. We will take your loved one into our care, return the ashes, and handle all documentation so you can process and get the closure you require.

For more information about our cremation services, visit our support center or review our cremation FAQs. Find out what makes us the best cremation company in Southern California.

FAQs

How long does depression last after grief?

Grief typically lessens in 6-12 months. However, those with prolonged grief disorder will experience intense emotional pain for a year or more.

Is depression a stage of grief?

Yes, according to the Kubler-Ross model of grief, the stages include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

Where does the body hold grief?

The body holds grief in the neck, shoulders, core, back, nervous, and digestive systems. As a result, people experiencing grief often develop muscle tension, hormonal changes, heart conditions, reduced immunity, changes in appetite, headaches, and difficulty sleeping.

Additional Resources:

• Losing a Loved One and Grieving at the Holidays
• What is Grief?
• The Real Cost of Direct Cremation in Orange County