| Anticipatory grief | Clinical depression | |
| Definition | Feelings and behaviors that result from anticipated loss of life | Depressed mood, decreased interest and pleasure, appetite and sleep disturbance, psychomotor agitation or retardation, decreased concentration, loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness, guilt, hopelessness, helplessness, and thoughts of death with impairment of functioning lasting at least 2 weeks; loss of meaning and purpose also common |
| Symptoms and signs | Somatic distress, sleep and appetite disturbance, diminished concentration, social withdrawal | Hopelessness, helplessness, anhedonia, worthlessness, guilt, suicidal ideation most useful diagnostic clues |
| Somatic distress, sleep and appetite disturbance, diminished concentration, social withdrawal, sighing are also common | ||
| Other differentiating factors | Patient retains capacity for pleasure | Nothing is enjoyable, anhedonic |
| Comes in waves | Constant | |
| Passive wishes for death | Intense, persistent suicidal thoughts | |
| Able to look forward to the future, although often with uncertainty and worry | No sense of anything to look forward to |
