Problems of life vs. problems of illness

Some years back, a psychiatrist pointed out that there are differences betwen problems associated with illness (depression) and problems of life. It was a very helpful comment, helping me to assess whether my difficult days were the result of something intrinsic or a set of external events.
For example, I can ask myself, "Would a person without depression feel as I do about this situation?"  Being sad when my parents died or when we learn of our granddaughter's diabetes, those are situations where most people would be sad, even for quite a while. If the troubled feelings go on for a while (more than a couple of weeks, for example), it's probably a good idea to talk with someone such as a therapist or other trusted counselor.
But, if I'm not sad or angry or confused during such difficult days, then it may be time for a check-up from the neck up. My feelings might be dulled by meds or by depression. In any case, not feeling is, for me, even more dangerous than having excessive emotion over trivial things. (There have been times when the need to make the decision between doing the laundry or going grocery shopping turned me into a puddle in the middle of the kitchen.)
Lately, we've had an extraordinary amount of tension, fear, and grief in our lives. I won't go into detail here because it involves other people and some of their private concerns. Nonetheless, it's been devastating. "Worse than death" is a phrase that keeps coming in conversations.
And yet, looking at it from a parochial "I've been crawling through a major depressive episode for three years now." view, my responses of sadness, anger, and exhaustion are pretty much on target. It feels lousy because it is lousy and to feel otherwise would be a very bad thing, indeed.

The Growing Push for "Mad Pride"

Presented without much comment - The Growing Push for "Mad Pride" | Newsweek Health | Newsweek.com
"After all, aren't we all more odd than we are normal?"