Can another person's depressive episode trigger a depressive episode?

Yes, another person's depressive episode can trigger a depressive episode of your own. Seeing a friend or even just anyone feeling depressed can give you feelings of empathy and you can start to feel bad that they are feeling pain and maybe even go back to thinking, assuming you had these thoughts in the past, that your pain is not worth it and that other people have it worse than you. I know that I, personally, feel like my pain is irrelevant compared to others and that I am just selfish for getting so down about my problems, but it is okay to feel down, no matter what your problem is. It takes different levels of water for someone to drown, so not everybody's pain tolerance is equal. Pain is pain, what hurts you hurts you, there is no reason to feel ashamed of being depressed just because "someone has it worse."

Even though a person may be more susceptible to depression than someone else, they usually only experience a depressive episode when a stressful event triggers the condition. Keeping track of moods and symptoms might help a person understand what triggers a depressive episode. Spotting the signs of depression early on may help them avoid a full-blown depressive episode. Use a diary to log important events, changes to daily routines, and moods. Rate moods on a scale of 1 to 10 to help identify which events or activities cause specific responses. See a doctor if symptoms persist for 14 days or more.