You are correct. Sometimes people say “depressed” when what they truly mean is “sad”. There’s plenty to be sad about.

EDIT: Battling chronic clinical depression since 1989. Depression makes no sense.

OK, so it’s not mental illness, it’s realism. How do you propose people deal with that situation?

I would start with therapies that help them identify what changes they need to make. Then, give the person treatments that have been proven to create better outcomes for people-in-depressing-circumstances (lifestyle and pharmaceutical).

Oh hey, I just invented mental healthcare for people with “realism.”