Sooner or later in life every person goes through some trouble or very worrisome, stressful period that is despondent and depressive; this period is called a situation depression because it is like feedback to an event. It is a very common type of depression and, probably, you have experienced it personally in some stage of life. Statistics reveal that one in three women and one in six men faces a mild depression in their lives.

Situation depression is different to clinical depression therefore it is essential to understand the differences. Situation depression may seem similar to the clinical or severe depression, nevertheless there are specific features to distinguish. Situation depression is caused by stress or a traumatic event while clinical depression involves mood disorders that can appear either in presence or absence of a specific stress factor. Symptoms of depression may appear over the course of several months as one tries to manage or handle the changes going on in life. The most common symptom is low mood that stays for a long period most of the days. Situation depression does not tend to last. Where one notices particular stress triggers, it can disappear rather quickly even without additional help. But it can also stay for longer and become a more serious disorder requiring more time to resolve it.

The most typical reasons for depression are:

• breaking up with a partner;
• academic difficulties or fear of failure;
• feeling of loneliness if there are no close and loving relationships;
• moving to another location;
• many changes in life in a short period of time;
• being overloaded with many responsibilities;
• heavy loss;
• accident, trauma;
• loss of work;
• pandemic, such as Covid-19.

In case of a situation depression when the situation is settled, for example, relationships are amended, a new work is found or one manages to overcome a difficult disease, symptoms of depression vanish. You can notice an improvement in mood and situations getting better. What are the symptoms of the situation depression:

• Anger
• Changes in appetite
• Permanent fear or worries
• Difficulties with doing tasks
• Difficulties concentrating
• Difficulties to fall asleep
• Often crying
• Grief
• Hopelessness
• Loss of interest in regular activities
• Surprising feelings from stress or anxiety
• Sadness

If the situation depression continues unresolved and untreated for a long time, it can turn into a clinical depression. Clinical depression can interfere with your life for a long time to come. If you suffer from the clinical depression, you could have elevated suicide risk therefore seek advice from your doctor or professional therapist – a psychotherapist or psychologist – if your situation depression lasts more than just a few weeks.

Signs telling that you should definitely address a specialist:

• If you feel incapable of handling day to day duties.
• If you feel little joy from what was making you happy before.
• Constant negative thoughts about yourself, surrounding world and future.
• You are constantly overthinking about the causes of stress and you don't believe that this situation can improve.
• You don't understand how to handle the stressful conditions.

It is important to remember that a risk of getting a depression is higher for persons whose relatives have suffered from repeated episodes of depression, those who had a serious psychological trauma, especially during childhood, and who have certain characteristics – self-criticism, perfectionism, anxiety, low self-esteem. Lasting stress and unemployment, low income and alcohol and drug abuse are also factors contributing to higher risk of getting a depression. Women are diagnosed with depression twice as often, possibly, because they are more willing to seek help.