Handy guide distinguishing between ‘Feeling Blue’ & ‘Depression’

There are numerous reasons for feeling blue, or low in spirit. Some feel blue after seeing an old building in utter neglect. A friend of mine used to feel blue around his holidays. A few others feel so because life did not go as per plans. Still, some others feel down as they have worries about money matters. All these feelings are ephemeral in nature and are just like passing dark clouds. They don’t last long, unlike depression.

Blue or sadness?

So, how come a color like blue has come to signify a low state of mind?  The noun blues, meaning “low spirits,” was first recorded in 1741 and may have come from blue devil, a 17th-century term for a baleful demon, or from the adjective blue meaning “sad,” a usage first recorded in British poet Chaucer’s Complaint of Mars in 1385.

When emptiness and despair take hold and won’t go away, it may be the first sign of depression.  Unlike the temporary “blues”, the lows of depression make it difficult to function and enjoy the life as one would have done earlier.

Blues don’t last

Generally, the feelings of blue pass.

1. Blues last for short duration of time
2. Blues don’t cause any chemical imbalance in the brain
3. Blues can be controlled by individuals
4. Many start to feel a bit blue as with the change in seasonal patterns

Depression Haunting!

However, if the low mood begins to interfere with routine lifestyle and continues for over a couple of weeks and keeps revisiting for several days at a time, you or someone close to you could be suffering from depression. So there is a thin dividing line separating blue from depression.

1. If Blues last for more than a couple of weeks then it can result in depression
2. It is with you 24/7 and can be seriously debilitating
3. It can manifest in deep emotional symptoms such as depression
4. Depression is much more than a passing bout of the blues

Cadabam’s Group has over 23 years of experience in treating people suffering from mild to severe degrees of depression. Its team of psychiatrists, psychologists and health care professionals have the experience to diagnose and treat depression.

For any help related to depression you can reach out to: +91-97414-76476 or visit www. Cadabamshospitals.com