Senior Step – Volume 1, 2004 | Download PDF
Dr. Alan Wolfelt in Death and Grief: A Guide for Clergy shares the following information to help you decide if you are experiencing normal grief or clinical depression.
| Normal Grief | Clinical Depression |
| You are able to respond to comfort and support | You cannot accept comfort or support |
| You are often openly angry | You are irritable and may complain but do not directly express anger |
| You can relate your depressed feelings to your experience of loss | You do not relate experiences to a particular life event |
| You can still experience moments of enjoyment in life | You have a sense of doom that overshadows your days |
| You may have physical complaints that come and go | You have physical complaints most or all of the time |
| You might express guilt over some aspect of the amputation | You feel guilty about most things much of the time |
| These feelings sometimes affect your self-esteem | Your self-esteem is low most of the time |
If you think you are depressed, see your physician or a mental health professional immediately.
To find a mental health professional in your area, contact the following:
National Mental Health Association
http://www.nmha.org
800/969-6642
TTY Line: 800/433-5959
National Institute of Mental Health
http://www.nimh.nih.gov
866/615-6464
TTY Line: 301/443-8431