Situational depression refers to symptoms of depression that occur for a short time and after facing a significant stressor that has overwhelmed your ability to cope. It’s formally known as adjustment disorder with depressed mood.

Depression is a formal mental health diagnosis with set diagnostic criteria. However, depression doesn’t always look or feel the same, and you may experience some of its symptoms after experiencing a particularly challenging situation for you.

When that is the case, a mental health professional may determine you have an adjustment disorder with depressed mood. Some people may call this situational or reactive depression, even though these are not formal diagnoses.

Stressors that may lead to situational depression are personal and depend on what you may find particularly challenging to deal with.

If you receive a diagnosis of adjustment disorder with depressed mood, it means you have mental, emotional, and behavioral depression symptoms that have developed within 3 months of having experienced a significant stressor.

These symptoms may vary from person to person but predominantly involve common depression symptoms like:

  • low mood (sadness, hopelessness, emptiness)
  • crying outbursts
  • difficulty enjoying usual activities and people

It’s also possible you experience other depression symptoms, including:

  • sleeping more or less than usual
  • trouble focusing and completing tasks
  • aches and pains
  • changes in appetite
  • thoughts and behaviors around self-harm and suicide

With situational depression, these symptoms usually improve within 6 months after the stressor has gone away. If they persist past 6 months and occur every day for most of the day, you may receive a diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD), commonly known as clinical depression.

Read about the symptoms of depression in women and in men.

It is also possible to experience anxiety symptoms when you have situational depression. In this case, a mental health professional may give a diagnosis of adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood. Possible anxiety symptoms include:

  • having persistent worry and nervousness
  • feeling on edge
  • experiencing unusual separation anxiety

Situational vs. clinical depression

“Situational depression is generally brought on by a stressful situation. In this case, the person feels overwhelmed by a situation that also exhausts their coping abilities. The symptoms often subside as the situation comes under control or becomes more manageable.

“This is much different than clinical depression, where there is no identifiable stressor. Sometimes, people will start with a situational depression that develops into a clinical depression. Similarly, people with clinical depression may experience an overwhelming situation that worsens their depressive symptoms.”

Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD, CRNP

Stressors may vary from person to person, but common stressful events that could affect your mood may include:

  • relationship or marital problems, such as unfaithfulness or divorce
  • transitional events, such as retirement, going away to school, or having a baby
  • distressing financial situations, such as losing a job or filing for bankruptcy
  • the death of a loved one
  • life-or-death experiences, such as physical assault, combat, or a natural disaster
  • chronic illness diagnoses

Previous life experiences can also affect the way you deal with current stressors. You may have a higher chance of developing an adjustment disorder with any of the following:

  • childhood adverse experiences like abuse, losses, or instability
  • co-occurring mental health conditions like personality disorders
  • challenging life circumstances occurring at the same time
  • family history of mental health conditions

Situational depression may resolve on its own once the stressor goes away. Professional support in the form of psychotherapy may also help you develop or strengthen coping skills.

Lifestyle modifications may also affect your mood. These may include:

  • regular physical activity, including exercising or moving more throughout the day
  • optimizing your sleep routine so you get between 7 and 9 hours of daily sleep
  • practicing stress management techniques
  • focusing on a nutrient-dense diet
  • strengthening your social support system

Situational depression is clinically known as adjustment disorder with depressed mood. Symptoms develop within 3 months of facing a significant stressor and may resolve once that stressor goes away.

Sadness, hopelessness, and crying spells are typically the most predominant symptoms of situational depression. Other symptoms like sleeping and eating habits, aches and pains, and thoughts of suicide are also possible.