The best answer to that question depends on two things: who’s asking, and what the answer means to that person. If you’re depressed and ask, “Is my depression a mental illness?” answering yes might mean to you that you have a chronic, untreatable condition that condemns you to bearing the heavy weight of depression for the rest of your life. In that case, the best answer is no.On the other hand, if you’re suffering from a biologically-based depression, it can be very helpful to think of it as similar to a physical illness, like diabetes. Just as a diabetic needs to take synthetic insulin to substitute for the insulin her body doesn’t produce, you might have to take medication in order to correct the chemical imbalance that is causing your depression.I think the crucial issue is whether you experience the idea of mental illness as carrying a stigma that means there’s something wrong with you. That’s what I always want to avoid. The idea that your depression is an illness can, in some cases, make you feel like you must be “crazy” or defective. In that case, we need to find another way of talking about it. In other cases, the idea that you have an illness that’s similar to a physical illness can feel enormously relieving. Just as you wouldn’t judge a person for having diabetes, the idea that you have a mental illness means that you don’t have to judge yourself negatively for being depressed.Why is mental illness a scary term? Unfortunately, there is still a heavy stigma surrounding the term “mental illness.” Our understanding of the brain is still so rudimentary that we don’t know what causes disturbances to our thought processes. The idea that your thoughts aren’t under your control, and that you don’t know why, is often very frightening.In addition, I think that the idea of mental illness, as opposed to physical illness, is frightening because it suggests that you have a condition that could fundamentally affect your identity. If you’re worried you have a mental illness, you might be afraid that you won’t be able to lead a normal life—that you won’t be able to think clearly, go to work, or be in a relationship. Being diagnosed with a physical disorder like diabetes doesn’t raise these kinds of fears. But mental illness is still so widely misunderstood in our culture that you can become very anxious if you start to think about yourself in those terms.If you are struggling with depression, and are afraid you have a mental illness, what should you know?I often think that we would being doing everyone a favor if we simply removed the “mental” from “mental illness,” and thought of all of the biologically-based illnesses that can affect people’s thought processes—severe depression, psychosis, autism, etc.—as illnesses like every other illness. That might also help us to better understand the kinds of depression that don’t have a biological basis, and that can best be treated through therapy alone.Most importantly, I would urge you not to blame yourself for your depression, and not to use the idea of mental illness as another reason to feel bad about yourself. Everyone experiences depression differently. The most important thing is that you get help from someone who understands your unique experience, and who can recommend a course of treatment that will help you to feel better. Most depressions can be effectively treated through therapy, medication or both. Don’t let the stigma of “mental illness” keep you from getting the help you deserve.Click to learn how changing the stories you tell yourself can help with your depression. Click to learn more about depression therapy and treatment with Jane Rubin, Ph.D.