For example flu-like symptoms do not necessarily mean that you have early onset AIDS or ebola virus even though those diseases do produce flu-like symptoms. Therefor people shouldn't refer to those common symtoms as "mild ebola" or "mild AIDS". The same principle applies to mental health and words like "depression".
> Another way to put this: It is normal for someone to become depressed in response to tough circumstances or disappointment
I would argue that this is incorrect. If a certain human condition is normal then by definition it is not an illness! Therefor to use the word 'depression' to characterize normal circumstances is not only a misnomer but a dangerous charade that downplays the seriousness of the genuine mental illness. A whole generation is confused on this point in my opinion due to advertising campaigns that are designed to confuse them and the doctors don't seem to be motivated to help clear up this confusion and I can only assume that is due to profit incentive.