How can I make my friends and family understand that my depression is a serious issue, not just me being dramatic?

Communicate your emotions to them directly.Tell them how you feel and how hard things are for you.They may not understand you completely but they will show more care concern. You can also make them read few articles about depression and keep them informed about steps you are taking to overcome depression.

Try to explain them how you feel, maybe you can show them a movie where the character feels like you and then tell them that you feel like him/her or also you can write a letter to them explaining them how you feel and that it's more serious than they think

First, it might be worth deciding which battles are worth fighting. I had depression for a while myself, and regrettably, some people might just ALWAYS think you're being dramatic. It's possible you won't be able to convince everyone, so it's important to think of who is most important to you. If you're willing to discuss the depths of your emotions with them, there's that. Also, there's the whole medical diagnosis. Are you getting treatment? A professional opinion could help, as well.

Many people are relatively uneducated about mental health, and do not understand that depression is a medical condition just like any other. They may not have been exposed to information about depression, outside of mainstream media portrayals, which are often reductive and inaccurate. In addition to describing how you feel, you may want to talk about the causes and common symptoms of depression. Speaking calmly, being prepared with resources, and being specific about events and thoughts that you have had is important. Having someone with whom you can speak openly about mental health is very important; seek out nonjudgmental friends and/or a therapist (preferably both). If you're already being treated for depression, sometimes it's helpful to talk to your folks with your therapist present, so your therapist can back you up and answer medical questions they may have. This site is a more complete guide on how to talk to others in your life about depression: http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/depression-management/talking-about-your-depression.aspx

By speaking up. By telling somebody. Tell your student counselor, or your teacher. Don't try to hide it. Speak up!

Perhaps you could suggest some reading material for them, as if they have never known depression, it may be difficult for them to understand. Sometimes people use the word depression to simply say that they are having a bad day or things are a bad right now, but this is very different from being medically depressed, as I am sure you are aware :) I have found that the following resources have helped me to explain to people what I am experiencing: http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/depression/#.VGOGbjSsWSo http://youtu.be/XiCrniLQGYc I wish you well.

When you have not experienced depression you might view it as an excuse or a crutch, almost paramount to a "I didn't wash the dishes today" excuse, which can prove fatal if you are unlucky. Usually trying to find the source of the depression helps, as something concrete might help them understand.

Explain to them that it is suffocating you from doing your day to day activities and you are unable to focus on anything in life.

In my case I found that actually letting my parents contact my doctor and let him explain the situation really helped them to understand and cope. Clearly you need to give your doctor notice and consent to give details about your condition. Another good way is to write it all down in a letter and lay it bare for them to read and it may help them understand.

you need to talk to your them about it. describe how you are feeling and how sad you get. if the still dont take it seriously you may need to get some professional care