Thank you for this post - it is a very helpful explanation of an all-too-common human situation. I liked your disctinction between sadness, situational depression, and clinical depression. In my work as a chaplain, I meet people in all three emotional states. How I work with them is different depending on each case. My work is very intuitive - I have to figure out for myself when to help someone out of an emotional funk, when to help them deal with the situation, when to refer them to a doctor or therapist who is skilled in working with depression. And, of course, there are degrees of clinical depression - I let the therapist determine this with the patient. As a family member and as a friend with clinical depression, we can support someone in getting the right kind of help. Your post may help to sort through what is needed to help someone. It explains things pretty well, at least from my point of view as a chaplain. You are a wise and kind man. I raised you well and am proud of you.