Is Depression Part of Your Life?

[momo770]

Many people say they are depressed. Many people say depression is a disease. Do you think it is? Do you think everyone goes through depression and it's up to the individual person to "deal" with it? Do you think a diagnosis of depression lasts the rest of your life? I was speaking to a classmate Friday and he thought people say they are "depressed" to get sympathy for others and use it as an excuse for what they don't do in their life. I completely disagreed and found he could not really support his argument.

I think depression is real. There are varying degrees of depression due to people having different foundations, coping skills and their support system in my opinion.

I think a support system is essential. There is no cure for depression but I believe it does help knowing you can speak (or not) to someone who is there in a non-judgmental way. Knowing how to listen to someone is an undervalued skill. I don't know anyone's struggle except my own completely. Who am I to disparage anyone's struggle? Would you?

Do you feel you are depressed? Are you providing support for someone who is? I think seeking professional help is important. I used to have a fear of going to the doctor for anything. If I wasn't going to the doctor for the flu, can you imagine my going for depression? I think I'm on the right path. I've become a good listener from my own struggles and I hope I can help someone with their struggles also. When I say help, I mean steering them on the right path if possible. I'm open to your opinions especially if you disagree. Thank you for reading myTake.

[Poppykate]

When I was younger I used to think that depression was just ‘feeling down’, and these people need to shake themselves out of the sadness. It wasn’t until I was in my early-mid twenties, and in an incredibly high stress job, an unhappy relationship etc that I experienced depression. I built a life for myself, that I thought was perfect, but I was far from happy. It took me a while to come out of the depression, and it provided me with some valuable life lessons.
1. It does matter how successful, educated, well paid you are, if you hate the job you wake up too, you’re screwed.
2. Learn to relax. Life is about more than just work, and the next step on the career ladder
3. Only the people within the relationship, truly know how things are. Let love choose who you are with... don’t be influence by family, friends etc

[just_tired]

Good take, thank you. I have personally been diagnosed with depression. Just one correction, there is a cure for depression and that is psychotherapy. I'm starting therapy soon myself.

[kilowatt04]

Yes, I deal with depression. One of the most painful and insulting things to hear is when people say confidently that it doesn't exist, that it's a cop-out or laziness etc. How arrogant can one be to decide they know how other people's heads work?

I am glad to live in a time when depression is more accepted as a real thing, taken seriously and not quite as stigmatized. But as always, for every bit of progress there is a conservative base to stubbornly resist it, especially around here (Montana). It would still not be in one's best interest to admit to many people any mental illness.

I wonder how many people in the past killed themselves because their depression or other mental illness went ignored or not believed even by themselves, and they could not suffer alone any longer. I wonder how many people suffered in silence right next to each other because both were too ashamed. We will never know because back then mental illnesses were not diagnosed, and suicides were typically explained away as things like "he accidentally shot himself cleaning his gun" and so forth because the stigma would hit a whole family. Of course now the older generations say "There was no such thing as depression back in my day. People now are a bunch of pussies and need to man-up." But how would they know? As always, people who don't have it will never know. It's always easy to point at someone else going through something you don't understand, and say "why don't they just?".

[gobsmacked3]

Sit, Montan, how brilliant. i visited there and went to Symes Hot Spring. i was there during a blizzard. a magical place. Also, on way back to Mizzo', stopped to have Buffalo burgers, incredible

I am sorry to hear about your plight. It is so very tough on many counts. Growing up, I had too many get taken out by the 'black dog' because it was never given credence. The worst thing in life is to be really hurting and not be heard or listened too. Worse, if you are ridiculed

You take care my friend :)

[gobsmacked3]

Sir, rather than sit- and Montana- shitful spelling

[gobsmacked3]

i have an intrigue over this. Due to growing up in an age where it was diminished as a condition. If you cited any mental issues you knew you were deemed as 'weak'. Particularly men. Which meant you never did and suffered in silence. Which saw many tragic outcomes.

In the last 20 years, society has become more enlightened in regard to the tragedy of Depression. It has seen many outlets available for help. Organisations like 'Beyondblue' and days like 'Are you OK'.

Truly brilliant

The rub is many have exploited this. It seems common that a person cites 'they are depressed' or 'suffering depression'. And the medical field is ruled by profit. Hence they duly medicate without fully examining the actual issue.

Cynical?- maybe so, but, ask yourself how many people these days do you hear express that they are 'sad', or, 'stressed', 'tired', 'pressured' etc etc etc

Rarely, straight away they 'are depressed' and 'suffering from depression'

It diminishes a very real condition that is devastating

For people, you know with actual depression. The key is support rather than trying to understand for you can't. Noone knows what goes on another head or behind closed doors meaning it is naive and arrogant to even try

[kilowatt04]

This

[michellebrown48]

Yes, I am diagnosed. Also diagnosed with general anxiety disorder and anorexia-b/p subtype.
In response:
'Many people say depression is a disease. Do you think it is?' yes, I think it is a mental disorder. Not sure if it fits the definition of a disease but nobody chooses to be depressed.
'Do you think everyone goes through depression and it's up to the individual person to "deal" with it?' no not everyone goes through depression. Most people get depressed but they don't have depression. If people could just ''deal'' with it then nobody would have depression..
'Do you think a diagnosis of depression lasts the rest of your life?' No!! I was diagnosed with anxiety 3 years ago but I think I don't fit the criteria anymore. I think my anxiety derived from my eating disorder, which is a lot better now (:
I agree with everything you state (:
And i'm sending majour hugs because you seem like a good person <33

[Anonymous]

I suffer depression.
I don’t want pity.
I don’t even want sympathy.

Sometimes I wish my disease was phisical so that people could understand that I am sick. Very sick.

Nothing makes me feel more isolated and alone then when people don’t believe this illness that has destroyed my life, is real.

[MadBoy]

I definitely deal with something akin to depression. I can't say I deal with it as badly as others, but I still deal with it since for the longest time I never really had any emotional connection with people and every time I try to make friends it never works. Prozac helps with that and anxiety, but now I'm just sleepy and dry-humored. And yet it's still impossible to get a hug. Becoming an adult has made things much more difficult and confusing too, and autism doesn't exactly help with that. :/

[PoondockSaint]

I wish your classmate was right about it being just a simple copout or an excuse for laziness.
Unfortunately and sadly it's neither. It happens to be more real than anyone who deals with it wants it to be.

[momo770]

I hear ya.

[sp1213]

It does because my grandfather suffers from it, like he was actually diagnosed. I feel like a lot of people claim things like anxiety/depression to be cool, but were actually diagnosed. I don't like or respect that.

[GuyAdviceFromGuy]

yes, depression is part of my life as well as my resting bitch face

[ScarletAngelic]

It's more anxiety for me, but my mom has major depression (to the point where she goes to the hospital) and she's part of my life so yes.

[Ionlyeatramen]

yes I've been depressed for the last 4 years it sucks

[Whatthefluff]

I think I’ve been officially diagnosed. I definitely know I am.

[Waffles731]

I've been diagnosed and it never really gets cured, it always comes back

[Naydyonov]

It used to be.
Now I'm in a neutral phase, in between depression and when I was normal as a child.

[Rosewanda]

A lot of people go through it.

[Anonymous]

I did growing up when my father was in jail.

[momo770]

Wow that's something I couldn't imagine. Tc

[Opinion Owner]

It was a year and it felt like an eternity

[momo770]

Hope you have that support system I mentioned

[Opinion Owner]

I had to go to therapy for a while.

[Anonymous]

That was past, now it's more better

[DanFlingwing]

no its not