As you yourself said, the claim is "qualitatively" different, not "quantitatively" different. If you think about what qualitatively means, I really have no idea what you're trying to say. "Just" being "more extreme" is sufficient for something to be qualitatively different. Different symptoms start manifesting, especially as compensatory systems start to fail. As far as I can tell your point is vacuous; please clarify, otherwise.
If you're instead trying to say that they're biologically / mechanically similar phenomena, well, that's a different discussion we could have.
Have you ever experienced severe depression (i.e., the type that prevents you from getting out of bed for months or causes you to be hospitalized)? Because it's absolutely fucking awful. I'd love some clarification of where you're going with this hypothetical, because right now it sounds like you're denying the experience of a whole lot of people in a whole lot of pain, without having much of a point.
If you're instead trying to say that they're biologically / mechanically similar phenomena, well, that's a different discussion we could have.
Have you ever experienced severe depression (i.e., the type that prevents you from getting out of bed for months or causes you to be hospitalized)? Because it's absolutely fucking awful. I'd love some clarification of where you're going with this hypothetical, because right now it sounds like you're denying the experience of a whole lot of people in a whole lot of pain, without having much of a point.