Many of the psychological problems experienced by psychotherapy patients are related to sadness and emotional pain . This means that, sometimes, this feeling of deep unease is interpreted by those who suffer it as an example of a very popular disorder: depression.

Those who don’t feel like doing anything, notice how they lack motivation for everything, feel extremely sad and even have difficulty experiencing joy or fun are apparently manifesting symptoms related to depression; however, one must be careful with these assessments.

You may have some of those depression-like disorders that aren’t, and of course you may not really have a mental disorder. In this article we will explore the first option: that of depression-like mental illnesses and disorders .

5 disorders that can be confused with depression

First of all, it is important to note that diagnosing a mental disorder is very complicated and requires the involvement of health professionals who are experts in the field. Detecting problems of a psychological nature is tremendously complicated , because there are no purely objective aspects to look at in order to determine with a good margin of security that an individual has such a disorder or that he or she is healthy.

To diagnose, psychologists and psychiatrists resort to the subjective information given by patients and their immediate social circles; they cannot analyse blood samples to diagnose social phobia, for example.

The same thing happens with depression, and that’s why we have to keep in mind that the criteria for diagnosing this disorder and no other are very specific and cannot be covered with a vague explanation of what people who suffer from it experience. As an example, you can see these other diseases and psychological disorders that, although they are related to mood problems, are not depression and have their own diagnostic category.

1. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

This disease, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis , generates some symptoms that can make you feel depressed in front of someone inexperienced.

In particular, those who suffer from this disorder experience strong fatigue constantly and without an apparent explanation to help understand why this happens. In addition, other symptoms are difficulties in concentrating, problems falling asleep and staying asleep for several hours, and muscle pain; all of which are also common in patients with depression.

So, what is the fundamental difference l between these disorders? Motivation. People with chronic fatigue syndrome feel bad because they don’t have the strength to do what they want to do, while people with depression don’t, because they are not motivated by almost anything.

2. Dysthymia

It should be noted that dysthymia is not radically separate from depression, and in fact is part of the same family of mental disorders . Furthermore, even the medication given to dysthymic patients is usually the same as that given to those with major depression: antidepressants.

However, the concept of dysthymia refers to a significantly milder type of depression that is chronic, meaning that it lasts for several years or a lifetime, and instead of consisting of outbreaks its symptoms are more stable: it is diagnosed after having suffered from it for more than two years.

3. Bipolar disorder

There are many myths about bipolar disorder , and some people even believe that it has to do with having several personalities. But to make matters worse, this disorder can generate virtually all the symptoms associated with depression. That’s because, as its name suggests, bipolar disorder has two phases, one of which is depression. The difference between a bipolar and a depressive patient is in the second phase of the disorder that the first one presents: mania.

During the phases of mania, the person feels a sense of euphoria , energy and optimism take hold of their body and, in fact, in many cases it makes them feel very good. However, this exaltation of mood can cause them to take great risks and even compromise the well-being of others.

4. Anemia

Anemia is a health problem that in most cases is produced by the lack of iron in the blood , which makes it less able to transport oxygen. In practically all cases this generates fatigue and loss of strength, and it is also common for dizziness and general malaise to occur.

Sometimes this situation can cause the sufferer to do less and less, to the point where he or she becomes isolated and begins to feel quite bad about being in that state of passivity, something that bears a superficial resemblance to depression.

However, it is a disorder that is easily identifiable from medical evidence , and unlike depression, it can disappear when its original cause, which is usually related to an inadequate diet or a discrete but constant loss of blood, is corrected.

5. Hypothyroidism

The thyroid gland, located in the neck , is one of the major producers of hormones in our body, and therefore any problem in its functioning can produce significant changes in the person’s mood.

In hypothyroidism, the thyroid secretes less hormone than normal, and that produces low mood and fatigue, depressive symptoms. As with anemia, this is usually fully corrected by acting on the root of the problem, usually by taking medication.