There’s 200+ different viruses that cause the common cold. When you get a sore throat or runny nose you don’t consider those to be the disease, you know there is an underlying cause.
Do you think Depression is similar to that? Do you think it is a symptom of some other disease or diseases?
If it’s a permanent, significantly unalterable biological imbalance of chemicals, I say disorder.
If it is a result of outside forces like a terrible job or a lack of opportunity or any outside circumstances, I say symptom.
Depends on the context, certainly.
This is a good question, because now I’m wondering if other languages have different words for or studies about externally induced versus immutable chemical depression.
Wait I thought the chemical imbalance was why Robin Williams let go…
Robin Williams had a degenerative neurological disorder and didn’t want to live through the decline. Common misconception as media speculation was “funny man sad” long before the family shared any details.