Grief or Depression? How to Tell the Difference — and Why It Matters

Grief and Loss TherapyDepression Therapy

May 19

Grief and depression can look and feel surprisingly similar: exhaustion, sadness, loss of motivation, disrupted sleep, even hopelessness. But while they sometimes overlap, grief and depression are not the same — and understanding the difference is crucial for finding the right kind of support.

At Feel Your Way Therapy, we often meet people asking:

“Am I grieving, or is this something more?”

Let’s explore how to tell the difference—and how therapy can help with both.

What Is Grief?

Grief is a natural emotional response to loss. It might follow the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, a health diagnosis, a miscarriage, or any experience that shifts your world in a profound way.

Grief is not a disorder. It’s not something to “get over.”

It often comes in waves — sometimes sharp and overwhelming, sometimes quiet and lingering. While it can include intense sadness, it also tends to come with moments of connection, memory, and love.

Common signs of grief:

Tearfulness or emotional numbness
Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
Longing or preoccupation with the loss
Irritability or emotional sensitivity
Pulling away from daily routines
Sadness that may come and go

What Is Depression?

Depression is a mental health condition that goes beyond situational sadness. It can affect your mood, thoughts, body, and behavior for weeks or months at a time—regardless of specific events.

While grief is usually tied to a specific loss, depression may show up more generally and feel disconnected from external events.

Common signs of depression:

Persistent sadness or emptiness
Feelings of worthlessness or self-blame
Loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy
Changes in appetite or weight
Fatigue or restlessness
Thoughts of death or not wanting to go on
A sense of hopelessness that doesn’t ease with time or support

Key Differences Between Grief and Depression

Grief

Tied to a specific loss

Sadness comes in waves

You may still feel moments of connection or meaning

Self-esteem is usually intact

You want relief from the pain

Depression

Can feel disconnected from any one event

Sadness is persistent and unrelenting

Often marked by emotional numbness or disconnection

Self-worth often deeply affected

You may feel like life has no meaning or that you are the problem

Sometimes, grief can lead to depression, especially when the loss is traumatic, unsupported, or complicated by past emotional wounds. Therapy can help you untangle the two and offer appropriate support.

When to Seek Help

It’s okay not to know what you’re feeling—especially in the wake of a loss. You might want to reach out if:

Your grief feels stuck or unbearable
You’re unsure whether what you’re feeling is “normal”
You’ve lost interest in life or loved ones
You feel hopeless, numb, or like you’re going through the motions
You’ve had thoughts of death or disappearing

Therapy doesn’t pathologize grief. Instead, it helps you explore your experience with care, clarity, and compassion—whether it’s grief, depression, or both.

How Therapy Can Help

At Feel Your Way Therapy, we support clients through both grief and depression using Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Narrative Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and trauma-informed care. You’ll never be rushed to feel better—you’ll be supported in making sense of what you’re feeling and finding your own pace toward healing.

We help you: