Whats the Difference Btween being 'clinically depressed' and sociopath??

[BillieJean84]

I know someone personally, she claims she "has depression" when infact, this woman is showing signs of pessemest ; I would even go as far to say shes a sociopath.

1. she has no friends and doesn't want friends
2. "hates" pretty much everything
3. complains about stuff she can't do anything about


I could go on and go- I don't think she has depression. This woman blames everything else on everybody. She "hates" 'stupid drivers' 'stupid ppl' .... Shes very narrow-minded, very opininated, has 1 answer, 1 way for everything. Blames other ppl, is a control freak, likes to hear herself lecture.


So my question is what is the difference between someone with "depression" as this woman claims & just being a pessemest / antisocial.

 

[Grand Master S]

Uh... a sociopath is someone who gets off on inflicting harm to others, whether physical or emotional. They lack empathy and feel no remorse using people for their own desires, regardless of what happens to the other person. Serial killers are often sociopaths.

Your description of this lady doesn't disprove that she has depression. Depressed people are often pessimistic. If you hate your life, it's not surprising that you would have a gloomy outlook on the world as well. If someone says they're depressed, they probably are. It's not exactly something you need to conduct a study on to prove. The extent of how depressed she is and whether or not she's a danger to herself or others is for a doctor to answer.

 

[BillieJean84]

Uh... a sociopath is someone who gets off on inflicting harm to others, whether physical or emotional. They lack empathy and feel no remorse using people for their own desires, regardless of what happens to the other person. Serial killers are often sociopaths.

Your description of this lady doesn't disprove that she has depression. Depressed people are often pessimistic. If you hate your life, it's not surprising that you would have a gloomy outlook on the world as well. If someone says they're depressed, they probably are. It's not exactly something you need to conduct a study on to prove. The extent of how depressed she is and whether or not she's a danger to herself or others is for a doctor to answer.

ok thank you. perhaps I was just confused about pessemest and depression- when in fact theyre the same thing.

 

[Grand Master S]

Pessimism is just negativity. A pessimist is someone who's negative about most things. Depression is when you feel extremely sad/hopeless/etc. for an extended period of time. A pessimist can be depressed, an optimistic person can be depressed, a sociopath can be depressed... anyone can be depressed.

 

[Mechi]

Uh... a sociopath is someone who gets off on inflicting harm to others, whether physical or emotional. They lack empathy and feel no remorse using people for their own desires, regardless of what happens to the other person. Serial killers are often sociopaths.

Your description of this lady doesn't disprove that she has depression. Depressed people are often pessimistic. If you hate your life, it's not surprising that you would have a gloomy outlook on the world as well. If someone says they're depressed, they probably are. It's not exactly something you need to conduct a study on to prove. The extent of how depressed she is and whether or not she's a danger to herself or others is for a doctor to answer.

pretty good description... I'd add...

for the sociopath a complete non acceptance of any rules. A sociopath has a way of thinking those are only applying to others. Also they do go for their own advantage... sometimes partly for others if that means their own advantage at the end also. Often those can be over average highly intelligent.

for the depression... there's often going along with any kind of sleeping problems, some kind of inactivity, no drive for anything, feelings of emptiness, feelings of hopelessness, no real willing to form any real or true perspective.

Most likely if she'd go to a psychologist or psychiatrist there's some pretty good structured interviews to find out more, usually done BEFORE a diagnose would be made.

 

[Mechi]

ok thank you. perhaps I was just confused about pessemest and depression- when in fact theyre the same thing.

exceptions are possible.

But a pessimist can still be pretty active and leading a normal life. It's just what you notice when you make them talk about life, how they look at it.

Someone with a depression most likely has no energy anyhow, feels tired all the time, is pretty inactive (laying in bed whole days although or because of sleeping problems often), feels like carrying a huge rock on their back with them all the time.

 

[BillieJean84]

This woman is very abusive; both verbally & physically. She hates the world. & believe me, I can't help her unless she wants help herself & obviously she doesn't ; but her negative energy is very unhealthy for all of us.



I can guareentee you, she has not depression its just being a pessemest.

 

[snowhite]

depression is not the same thing as being pessimistic, a depressed person has legitimate reasons to be depressed and being depressed means you have ups and downs all the time abnormal mood changes that you can't control, and when you're feeling down you are absolutely miserable you're sensitive, you have low self-esteem, you cry easily, you take it out on yourself you don't eat and sleep well. and usually depressed people don't receive any support from others which only makes it worse
people use the term depression far too often even when it's not necessary I think it's an insult to people who really suffer from it

 

[Mechi]

depression is not the same thing as being pessimistic, a depressed person has legitimate reasons to be depressed and being depressed means you have ups and downs all the time abnormal mood changes that you can't control, and when you're feeling down you are absolutely miserable you're sensitive, you have low self-esteem, you cry easily, you take it out on yourself you don't eat and sleep well. and usually depressed people don't receive any support from others which only makes it worse
people use the term depression far too often even when it's not necessary I think it's an insult to people who really suffer from it

legitimate reasons? wow

snowhite you sound like someone with some kind of experience... but let's all word this better with can have/know reasons (often they do think they're just sad without that they should, often they think they should feel very happy but they just do feel sad and down like without any reason right?!), a depressed person can have ups and downs all the time, they can have mood changes, they can have low self-esteem, they can cry easily (often I see them not even able to cry)...

I suggest everyone who's interested to take a look into the DCM R4 or ICD 10 diagnose manual... usually a certain combination or a number of symptoms through a certain period of time which 'has to appear' when makes the decision for a diagnose.

Best is to go to a professional and go through some brief interviews... then one can know.