Can I use them interchangeably in the phrase ‘how to overcome depression’?
The right answer: OVERCOME = COPE WITH, and means successful dealing with a problem or difficulty, a victory over a challenge.
Example: He overcome the fear of heights after reaching the top of Mount Everes. He coped with the fear of heights after reaching the top of Mount Everes.
Hovewer, unlike ’overcome’, ’cope with’ is widely used in the meaning of continuous struggling with a difficult daily situation related to work, children or emotions in attempt to be at the required level. Example: Healthy sleep and exercises help her to cope with loads of job tasks.
Therefore, ’how to overcome depression’ may imply recovering from illness, while ’how to cope with depression’ may point to daily struggle against depression with an attempt not to be beaten by it.