[IceFire]

Ok, if you can do something about it mentally, like... mental counselling, logic, etc, but you don't, you're a pussy,

But if something is literally screwed in your brain, then it's an illness?

Makes sense to me. Just need to define it right. On the other hand, sometimes I say I'm depressed when I'm not really. I'm jut cynical 

Something like that.  I have my moments where I'm feeling a bit down...chemically there is something different than when I'm normal or really happy (your brain is just all chemicals anyways) but I'll pull out of it.  Maybe a few hours later or I'll sleep on it and its not a big deal in the morning.  No problem...feel fine and normal for days, weeks, and months on end.

Clincal folks...they can't pull out.  They do for a day and then drop back in for days or weeks.  Its bad news...

[Flipside]

I think the real decider is motivation and confidence. People who are simply 'going through a bad patch' won't lose much in the way of either, but those who have clinical depression tend to lose all their motivation, and become recluses, not feeling confident enough to communicate with other people, and too mentally drained to socialise. It's actually a very dehabilatating disease at its worse because the sufferer knows what is wrong, but cannot call on the confidence or energy to do anything about it, which makes them feel even worse.

[achtung]

Ok, if you can do something about it mentally, like... mental counselling, logic, etc, but you don't, you're a pussy,

But if something is literally screwed in your brain, then it's an illness?

Makes sense to me. Just need to define it right. On the other hand, sometimes I say I'm depressed when I'm not really. I'm jut cynical 

Something like that.  I have my moments where I'm feeling a bit down...chemically there is something different than when I'm normal or really happy (your brain is just all chemicals anyways) but I'll pull out of it.  Maybe a few hours later or I'll sleep on it and its not a big deal in the morning.  No problem...feel fine and normal for days, weeks, and months on end.

Clincal folks...they can't pull out.  They do for a day and then drop back in for days or weeks.  Its bad news...

Isn't that deemed "Manic depression"?

[Ford Prefect]

Manic depression refers to the tendecy to alternate between depression and mania or euphoria. I believe it's the same thing as bipolar disorder.

[Scuddie]

Bipolar disorder is an umbrella term that is used more inappropriately than that of ADD.  Saying a person has bipolar disorder is like saying someone had breakfast foods for their first meal of the day.  Yeah it's true, but it's so vague that it in itself doesnt have any meaning.  Bipolar disorder covers so many mental illnesses that ir's almost synonymous with it.  Everything from as little as a cycle of low and high energy levels, to as much as a cycle of being normal and paranoid schizophrenia.  It's so broad that it's validity as a diagnosis is now irrelevant.