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> A lot of depressed people could be "cured" by just changing circumstances in their life (not that it is always easy, but saying there is stuff in your life you can't change and it is making you depressed, doesn't make it a mental illness).

I believe what you're largely referring to is Adjustment Disorder. You're stuck in a situation, and but if the situation changes to something more favorable, the depressive mood (with time) goes away. In my experience, a lot of people in the military with a depression diagnosis tends to be Adjustment Disorder. The PT almost always ceases to display depression symptoms once their contract has expired. This is why (I believe) people tend to say, "Just cheer up, man. It's not that bad!" Others will see that changing something (smiling, going to a movie, visiting friends) can cure a case of the blues.

Note that I am not minimizing the effects that the depressive mood can have on person with Adjustment Disorder. I am just highlighting the difference between Major Depressive Disorder (change the situation, relatively same symptoms) and Adjustment Disoder (change the situation, no symptoms).