Do you think depression is a legitimate illness?

[Anonymous]

Yes. I believe it is a real disorder that should be taken seriously.

No. It sounds like an excuse for their attitude and life in reality nothing is really wrong with them.

Other/Results

[existing_not_living]

Lol anyone who said no or other is a little bitch. This is not a matter of opinion. It is fact. I don't usually use that argument because I am pretty open minded and like to see other peoples opinions and I know that everyone is entitled to one. BUT, I've suffered from depression my whole life. I am doing SO much better now and my mindset has begun to change. Yes, it is a bit of changing your mindset. I had to. I am a victim of depression, but I'm not going to let it stop me from finding happiness. I have bipolar disorder which causes me to be sad a lot. I take medication to keep myself at bay. If I didn't take meds, then I would be stuck in a mindset where I felt there was no other way out but to end my own life. Even when I was depressed I knew that suicide was not the answer, but when you are at that low of a point in your life you can't see past the bad things and look for the good. It took me such a long time to get to where I am today. Being bipolar is such a struggle and those who aren't will never know how hard it is to deal with. There are so many other environmental factors that play into depression to. A lot of people who see it as attention seeking are people who have never dealt with it. People who have everything or at least have enough where they don't feel there is no way out. It's a serious problem and people need to learn to that.

[becca123]

I notice people throw the word around as an excuse to avoid life, or as a way to avoid blame when they react badly in a situation. "I spy on my boyfriend, but he should understand because I have depression."

Real, clinical depression does exist. It involves chemical imbalances in the brain. It is medicated.

I find people start claiming depression when life sucks. This isn't clinical depression, it is the blues or just being sad because life is piling on. Cry your tears, then suck it up, buttercup.

There is a difference between depression and feeling depressed.

[Mesonfielde]

The way you think affects you, and the way you think about yourself affects you even more. It governs every single aspect of your perception, and your perception governs your reactions, which in turn defines your behavior.

If you have a negative view of yourself and think everyone hates you and that no matter what you do everything is always bad or worse; you'll obviously not be healthy. Changing core beliefs of a person however require cognitive-behavioral therapy, people need to realize they are wrong, and learn something else instead. Technically, it is a legitimate illness of the way people think.

Well, unless they just lack dopamine or something. Then they really are just sick.

[redeyemindtricks]

Dopamine imbalances lead to parkinsonian symptoms, not depression. There's a reason why exactly 0 dopamine agonists and 0 dopamine reuptake inhibitors are prescribed as antidepressants.

[Mesonfielde]

@redeyemindtricks right, right, it's SSRIs, so it's selective serotonin inhibitor something something.

[Mesonfielde]

Valid criticism. I really remembered the wrong hormone there.

[redeyemindtricks]

Yeah. Well, SSRI's tend to be, frankly, a giant pile of shit. What positive effects they do have tend to normalize pretty quickly, and they cause vicious munchies, with the resultant poor eating habits, weight gain etc. (Patients put on SSRI's gain a shocking amount of weight on average--EVEN IF binge eating was among the ways they were coping with depression!)

Seriously, there's enough volume of research out there that NO ONE should ever be put on SSRI monotherapy for depression. No one, ever. If bloodwork shows good reasons for an SSRI, it should be given in conjunction with a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (Wellbutrin, etc).

Honestly, things like Ritalin and Concerta would make amazingly good antidepressants, except they'd be dangerous for people predisposed to eating disorders.

[Mesonfielde]

@redeyemindtricks Well. I can most likely agree with that, as I am not a clinical depression specialist, nor a psychiatrist, really. While it's just an error in the way you think about yourself, it makes perfect sense that cognitive-behavioral therapy helps. Once it gets into hormone territory, I just don't know enough about it.

[redeyemindtricks]

Sure. Although I don't think people think enough about the good things you can do in a depressed state. Especially the creativity part.

[RaggaMon]

Yes, very much so. But unfortunately there's a load of self-indulgent attention seekers who label themselves depressed without a genuine diagnosis so they can get an easy ride.

[gobsmacked3]

+1... very true

[Victorianna]

Of course it is. There's many reasons for Depression and many levels of it.

My father was a Psychologist and dedicated his life to providing treatment, and doing research to help alleviate the pain & suffering of people with depression.

Depression is so debilitating for people who suffer from it.

[Possible_Mate]

yes if you look it up it actually physically affects the neurons in your brain, and changes how your brain functions, which is why it's important to see a doctor about it because it's really hard to diagnose, and there are no visible physical symptoms like there are with physical injuries like a broken arm

[redeyemindtricks]

Soooooo you do know that "illness", "disorder", "something wrong", and "should be taken seriously" are 4 different things, right?

Four different things.

You clearly do not have clue #1 what you are even asking, here, in the first place.

[Hidden_P]

Yes. It's a real thing. People who don't think it is has never witnessed it let alone been through it

[moistycakes]

It is a chemical imbalance in the brain. Yes, I think it's a real disorder.

[ted22]

Is it a chemical imbalance? I never knew that, I just thought it had to do with stress or low self-esteem. My friend committed suicide due to depression but I never knew the extent of it bc he seem normal around me. It was his sis who told my he was depressed at home wish he could have gotten help.

[moistycakes]

@ted22 Yes it is, a few universities have done studies including scans of the neurotransmitters in the brain, the activity varies tremendously in diagnosed depressed people vs. healthy mental state. I researched it quite a bit after a friend of mine also committed suicide. It's a tough thing to experience isn't it?

[ted22]

It is tough to go through because you always feel like if that person came to you, you could help them in some way. I am lucky to have older sisters so when I was younger and had problems I could always go to them for advice, but not everyone is that lucky.

[Asker]

@ted22 True. Not everyone is that lucky. Until last year, I had no one to go to. I kept everything bottled up and convinced myself that being alone was a choice I made and not something that was forced upon me. Oddly enough, despite now having a couple people to rely on, I think I've still gotten worse--I always feel like by confiding my feelings in them, I'm being a nuisance.

[moistycakes]

@ted22 That is lucky, I had a person I could go too for awhile but just like @asker I felt like I was being over dramatic and a total nuisance. Looking back now, if I didn't confide in someone I would have been so much worse off. So, my advice is keep talking to people, because it can be the difference between getting better and getting worse. I also had an online friend going through the same thing as I did, that was so much better than confiding to someone I knew in every day life, which was better than anything. I hope you get well asker. :)

[ted22]

I think it's a balance, if the person ask how you are feeling pour you heart out but otherwise don't force it. Would you like hearing about people problems all the time? No, so even if you are having a bad day (s) just invite your friend over or go somewhere and have fun, use their company as a way to clear your mind and relax and not think aabout your problems for a little while. Just try and be positive and remember only you can make yourself happy.

[moistycakes]

@ted22 That's what I meant, but it was poorly executed. Good advice :)

[ted22]

Cool

[abc3643]

Depression is an illness but it can be overcome with time and exposure to positive events in life.

[TheHooptyMiata]

Yeah, I got that shit like a motherfucker. Worst part is, I have absolutely no good reason to. I have enough money, I'm in college studying a subject I love and I get laid.

[Mekkalyn]

Probably because you have Major or Clinical depression, which basically means you're depressed even when circumstances aren't bad. People often thing depression is only around for the bad times in life, when really depression follows you everywhere you go. It's a lot more than "my life sucks, why does all these bad things happen to me?"

[apple24]

Yes since I went to the doctor and they told me I have a chemical imbalance. But I was a Punk! And said BS... hahah

[apple24]

But its real or else I would be the way I am.

[orphan]

yes. but i'm not a fan of antidepressants (even tho they allow many to function normally).

[Asker]

Neither am I. It would just feel like a false sense of happiness if you ask me.

[orphan]

i wouldn't call it a false sense. i do consider it a band aid fix, as opposed to an actual cure. it's popular because it's easy.

[Asker]

But wouldn't it be warping the way you think?

[orphan]

the clinical argument is that depression warps the way you think. antidepressants would restore you back to normal.

[VirginiaBeachBum]

It is a real disorder and can be very serious, even potentially life threatening.

[Anonymous]

Scientifically speaking, people who suffer from depression have something in their brain that doesn't produce some certain molecules/substances

[SelenaRandall]

If it goes out of control, if you have depression u should try to talk to a doc about it.

[Deadpool7699]

Yes, but it's a mental illness, not a physical illness, the two are different. But yes, Depression is a series illness

[Tomsta]

Depression; mild or severe should be treated seriously, it's more than just "being unhappy"

[TheWorldEndsWithYou]

It definitely is, and whoever says otherwise has never gone through it

[Anonymous]

Sometimes it is.

But honestly, I think it's Bullshit 9/10.

[brewersfan01]

depressed people are just fuckin whiners that want some extra attention in my opinion.

[Mekkalyn]

Even if that depressed person doesn't "whine" to anyone and takes care of it very secretly?
Depression runs in my family. No one complains about it or "whines". They work on it themselves and some of them take medication for it. For some people it might be about attention, but for most it is an actual mental illness that needs medication and therapy (or you can do a self-help program) to help change the way you think. Depression warps your mind and makes you think horrible things. It makes you tired all the time and makes you feel like you can't do anything. It's a horrible debilitating illness that can be very life threatening if not taken seriously.

I'm sorry that you feel the way you do. I hope in time you gain some understanding and learn how to take other people's feeling into consideration without calling them "fuckin whiners that want some extra attention", when you don't know anything about it.

[DodgersGM]

Clinical depression is very real, yes.

[SweetHomicidalQueen]

Anyone who chooses B is not intelligent.

[Mekkalyn]

Definitely ignorant people. I'm surprised that there is as many as there is lol

[KDA20]

It is very real - I have it

[Grace_Rdz]

I don't "think," I know it is.

[rgb008]

Yes, it should be taken very seriously.

[justbanANNAz]

oh hell yeah, 100%