Remember that grief is a process that can last a long time, and everyone experiences it differently. Most people who experiencing a deep grief, often question whether they are ‘suffering sufficiently’. In fact, the signs and symptoms of grief and depression can be very similar. Experiencing grief is necessary, and feelings of sadness and of emptiness does not mean that the griever is depressed. Grief is an extremely painful emotional state, but differentiating intense grief from depression is not always easy.

It is common for people to confuse uncomplicated grief (normal grieving process) with a depressive disorder, but the duration of the symptoms, the characteristics, and the severity, help us to distinguish them. It's important to be kind to yourself and seek professional help if you feel like you can't handle the pain on your own and/or discern the difference between one and the other.