Question

 Specifically, how does one distinguish between everyday sadness and clinical depression?

Furthermore, what might be some of the risks of prescribing antidepressant medications to patients who are not actually suffering from a mental disorder? 

Answer 1

A temporary human emotion which leads to pain at certain times and then fadee with time is called sadness. Depression has a long term effect in which human body does not find enjoyment in any activity or people. Sadness is an emotion whereas depression is a mental illness having long term effects. A depressed person is not able to concentrate, having constant thoughts about death and have also physical symptoms like headache. There are various symptoms which indicate depression like trouble in sleeping, eating, extreme fatigue, feeling of worthlessness etc.

Sadness can fade away by engaging in physical activities, connecting with people but depression needs psychiatric help ( counseling) and antidepressants. Sadness is caused by some bad event or difficulty and when this difficulty fades away, feeling of sadness also vanishes. In case of depression we feel bad about everything and it is not result of any bad event like sadness. Weight loss and fatigue are important characteristics of depression which help to differentiate it from sadness.

Prescribing antidepressants to patients without mental disorder, will have the same effects like sexual dysfunction, nausea, diarrhoea, anxiety and headaches