Is depression contagious?

Question

If you spend enough time around someone depressed can you become depressed too?

Answer 1

Yes being around someone that is down all the time depresses you also. It is also inherited.

Answer 2

You can share the feelings of a depressed person, but the real disease of depression is not contagious! Depression is a disease in which the human brain does not have the ability to produce the amount of serotonin that is needed for a person to feel happy.
Don't worry! You can't catch it!

If you have the medical symptoms it's important to see your doctor. If you feel that it is just a matter of seeing the negativity of a depressed person, you might want to spend some time away to see how you feel in the company of other people.
Remember that the depressed person cannot help feeling that way. They can feel better, but they do need treatment. You can's convince anyone to just "stop it" and feel better. That is discouraging to someone who is trying. They can't do it alone either. Depression is a serious illness and needs medical attention. Also remember that medications do not work quickly. Most anti-depressants only begin to give a positive affect after about 2 weeks. So hang in there! Things do get better!

Answer 3

Yes, that is true you can become depressed by being with someone that is depressed. I know, I have lived with several men like this in the past. Life is too short to live with these type of people. Try to get this person some help but still be a friend but try to be with other people that can make you happy.

Answer 4

Laughter is contagious....so is a yawn....but I don't think clinical depression is.... depression is caused by a chemical imbalance. But you can feel sadness from being around a depressive. If you are the one around the depressed person, make sure you have enough laughter and joy in your life to compensate for being brought down.

Answer 5

It can be, and it can be in the genes, or I think it can be. There are quite a few in my x husbands family who does suffer with it and he did big time. If we, the suffers partner, friend relative doesn't know how to cope with the person and separate the depression from ourselves it can be picked up.
The dark cloud hovering the depressed can affect everybody else in the house but usually it's because of the way it can turn the depressed person into a horrible person.
It depends on the severity of the depression too and many people who suffer it also has a total opposite character that they can use as a mask, like humor. My x suffers with depression but he is exceedingly funny too.
Now, he doesn't have so much, things still get him down but he will say himself that he knew he was down but just can't snap out of it. There doesn't always have to be a cause or so he says. I think it depends how we think of things. I could have been depresed over circumstances but didn't allow circumstances to beat me, or live in the past where I think my x did. We have to want to fight depression if sneaks into our lives but it will be circumstances that wants you depressed and us who wants to beat or avoid depression has to resolve the problems causing the depression or feeling of sneaking in. I have always considered myself lucky for being a fighter, and felt sorry for those who can't see the cause of depression rather than let the depression knock them down-

Answer 6

I think it is a reaction... maybe apathetic.. it is a personal letdown to see someone be clinically depressed and not have the ability to cheer them up in any way..the person trying would be discouraged over time and be temporarily saddened.. but not depressed..
I have no reference for this.. It just makes sense to me..
I am bipolar and NOTHING can snap me out of a very bad low.. and it really affects those around me.. they know I am hurting deep inside , but can't do anything to help get me out of it.. it just takes time and patience on their part... and a great deal of understanding .. there is no question they are affected by the way I feel.

Answer 7

No- depression is an illness just like diabetes or asthma. You can't catch it from anyone. If you are around a depressed person you can "feel depressed" although a professional has to diagnose true clinical depression. Maybe feeling depressed around a depressed person is alot like yawning being around another yawning person.

Answer 8

no depression is not contagious. However, if you spend a lot of time around someone who is depressed, you may pick up their mood.

Answer 9

If you are an empath like I am - yes you can. Empathy is feeling another's emotion as if it is your own. When I lived with my grandpa, grandma and father, who were depressed, it made me depressed. If I am around people who are happy, I'm happy. If I'm around people who are anxious, I'm anxious. It's like I am an emotional sponge and it can be very draining, but helpful at the same time because I always know when someone needs space or needs cheering up, etc.

Answer 10

Yes indeed. Their moods will start to affect how you think about situations and feel about them. I say be nice to someone who is depressed but be careful listening to all their reasons so that it doesn't get into your head and start affecting you. Also, encourage them when they are with you to get out and do things. This will keep some of it from getting into your system too.