Depression comes in many forms. It is really a relatively "new" disorder which is still being researched. Recently (in the past decade or so) a correlation between depression and physical pain has been made and verified - to where now doctors will include in their checklist of "Symptoms of Depression" constant aches and pains. Patient can have all symptoms, but the most common thing is that a patient will have a few symptoms and speaking with a doctor will usually uncover a diagnoses of depression. I suffer from SAD (Seasonal depression) and I am rarely sad - I got sad when my father in law passed on in April, I got sad when my dog died two years ago - I do not get sad when I am under SAD - I do however get the pointless, unbearable, 'God I wish I could just die' feelings along with the accompanying listlessness and disinterest in "stuff". These are important symptoms and should be brought up with a therapist. If you are not seeing a therapist and are only getting drug therapy it is time that you get yourself a therapist. I'm afraid that too often mild depression or depression that should be treated via one on one counseling sessions is treated with drugs - drugs do not treat the illness, they treat the symptoms (in these cases) and the underlying causes are not treated. If you have SAD then you really really need to do the other therapies and steer clear of the drugs if possible - light therapy (for me) really worked far better than paxil or any of the other anti-depressants. Also, if there are other symptoms this could be indicative that you are not actually depressed but have some other disorder and once again this should be discussed with a doctor.

depression is not synonymous with feeling 'sad'. What you are describing sounds to me like depression...talk to a doctor..You do NOT have to feel like this. And if it means drugs for a while..okay..everyone needs a crutch sometimes.

Depression is not "feeling sad". That is the common, vernacular use of the word. This is the psychology section, under "mental illness". Depression is most generally a feeling of apathy and numbness. People might think you are sad because you don't laugh, but that isn't so. What you are describing sounds enough like depression to me that I suggest you see your physician. http://www.answers.com/topic/clinical-depression-1 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9323350 http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=11123

I am a member of ' Psych Central.com ' and there is so much you can do and learn there about depression and more , if you join I go by the name ' DrummerGirl ' you are welcome to look me up and leave a message + 5