How to tell if you are depressed?

I'm an 18 year old female and for the past at least 10 years of my life I remember being very sad a lot of the time. As I got older it started being ALL of the time. It's mainly when I'm alone, when I'm out with people and busy doing things I don't feel as bad.
Recently it's been a lot worse, I feel like crying all the time and even when I'm happy (in a good relationship, have plently of good friends) I feel like running a million miles away.
I think about dying a lot but I dont really think about the act of killing myself.
My father is an alcoholic and my mother is a drug addict. Growing up I've been abused (which I would rather not get into on a public forum) and when I was young I thought that was why I was sad a lot of the time.
As a teenager the abuse almost altogether stopped a few years ago and when I was sad after that, even until now, I thought it was teenage hormones and all that stuff. I'm tired ALL time and I always want to sleep. My whole life I've had bad headaches, and any doctor I've ever talked to told me my headaches were due to not eating properly/enough.
At this point in my life things are going pretty well, I have great friends and I'm trying to make up for doing bad in school in the past, and I've moved away from my parents.
My other friends complain they think they're depressed too, so I'm not sure what to think about my saddness.
Is this still teenage hormones or should I be more concerned? I don't want to go on medications or let anybody I know know what's going on, aside from the fact that I certainly can't afford to see somebody about this. I just want to be normal. Can I deal with myself quietly or hope it will eventually pass?

[kay2486]

this may be a sign of post traumatic stress disorder with being abused in the past, it really could do with a bit of councilling.
depression only gets worse unless you know whats causing it? do you just feel down?
depression is when people feel like committing suicide and don't care about themselves, like they don't bath for weeks, don't do their hair and makeup just loose total interest in everything.
a doctor will know by asking you to fill in a questionnaire and he will know by the score on it.
i dont think you're depressed i think you feel down and its hormonal

[anonymous9264]

I asked my therapist once how they decide when someone is really depressed or just sad and she said that the three signs they really look for to determine if someone needs to be on medication or be diagnosed with major depression are:

1.)suicidal thoughts
2.)affected cognition and energy levels. (if you feel it is harder to think properly or perform basic functions like getting out of bed to go to school. Basically if it is physically affecting you)
3.) Like Kay said, letting oneself go. losing interest in things, not caring for oneself, not bathing, general attitude of everything is pointless.

But if you're suffering in any capacity you should see a doctor immediately. It is my opinion that when somebody asks if they're depressed they are hoping for one answer or the other. nobody but a team of a therapist plus you can really decide for sure what's going on. hope i could help. good luck

[aliceinwonderland77]

thanks for the help I really appreciate it.

[curvyangel8]

Hi hun i have been throu some of the same problems abuse is very hard to get over it depression is normal am sufferinf it what i would like u to do is email me. Ill talk more over that