Quick to define Harry as "clinically depressed"?

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 110872

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Shaun Hately" <drednort at a...>
wrote:

> Shaun
> 
> ...edited...
>
> I certainly can't say Harry is depressed with anything like 100% 
> certainty. What I can say is what I see in him matches many of the 
> symptoms of the depression I suffered, rather closely. There's a 
> large distinction between those two ideas.
> 
> 
> Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
> Shaun Hately 

B_Boymn:

Thanks Shaun, we can always count on you to lend a fair and reasonable
perspective to things. 

There are many types of depression. In some cases, it's like Diabetes,
it's just a random error in the internal structure of your body
dynamics. Something you live with and manage. For many people prone to
depression, as you suggested, there is a 'trigger' that sets it off
and from there, it cascades out of control. The trigger event comes
and goes, but it has setup a lasting imbalance.

Now, and more importantly, there are situations in real life were
depression isn't a 'mistake', it's the natural and normal response to
events. You failed a big test, you lost the big game, or even more
tragic someone close to you died. Those, and many more, are
appropriate situations in which depression is that natural and normal
response. For most people, just like a shift in blood sugar, the body,
mind, and spirit in time correct the situation and life goes on.

In Harry's case, using the beginning of OotP as an example, people are
 stunned that Harry is so angry and depressed, but given his life,
everything that has happened to him, depression and anger seem
perfectly normal responses to me.

You may all ask, how can Harry be so depressed and angry, and I must
ask with equal or more fervor, how can he NOT?

I have to believe that even the ever-mellow Luna Lovegood would be
angry, frustrated, and depressed in Harry's situation. Taking it one
step farther, I'm inclined to ask, how can Harry be so cheerful and
calm under the circumstances.

Just a thought.

Steve/b_boymn