RE: Traveling at the Edge of Depression
In the German language, perhaps the term "Weltschmertz" (loosely translates as "the pain of the world") comes as close as anything to summarizing what lies behind existential depression.
I wasn't so familiar with "Weltschmerz" in German. Intuitively, I wouldn't necessarily associate it with existential depression. Although I haven't had any experience of that either.
In most cases, these are transient situations that can be successfully addressed with therapy, pharmaceuticals, or both.
I wouldn't describe the three examples you mentioned as depression. Isn't the feeling of losing a close relative more like grief? It's okay to be sad, it's okay to be sad for a long time. For me, it's not an illness, but a feeling. Isn't depression rather the absence of feelings?
That's why I come back to your first sentence and have to agree with you:
We hear the term "depression" quite often, in our modern stressed-out world.
Nevertheless, it is good that depression is not hidden. In the past, real depression was far too often not recognised.
It's actually an antiquated expression, I suppose... dates back to the early 1800s; perhaps used more in literature for illustration of certain feelings than in practical life. Lately, it seems to be resurfacing, perhaps a reflection of a world that seems increasingly messed up.
It definitely is good that depression is talked about and not just swept into a corner and ignored. I grew up in a family where feelings were seen as weak and stupid, and you just needed to focus on practicality and productivity. We had lots of alcoholics, drug users, gamblers and abnormally many suicides, for a family of our size.