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A lot of people think depression is just feeling sad, when most of the time you don't feel anything. Some people just label people who are depressed as lazy or crazy. It's unfortunate that in 2019 there is a stigma against depression and mental illness in general.
I agree - it is unfortunate! There needs to be a spotlight on mental illness (awareness), rather than fear/stigmas - or pretending it doesn’t exist.
I think people are much more aware of how depression works but I suspect the issue is that the very nature of depression is that it prevents you from being proactive. But depression is EXHAUSTING. So sometimes it's all you can do to get through the day. Still, people who don't understand it see a physically healthy person who won't take the steps they need to take and they see it as somebody who just won't pull theselves up by their bootstraps or whatever.
I am lucky enough that my depression is not SO bad that it keeps me from taking action when I recognize what's happening. However, the last time I felt myself falling into a rut (a major depressive/anxiety episode), it was because of undiagnosed Vitamin D deficiency, and I remember my frustration at how my usual "tricks" weren't working to get me back to normal. I thought my depression had entered a new phase and it was terrifying, because I knew I did not want to be this way but I couldn't do anything about it. I was a wreck for several months.
There is depression caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, it usually goes by the name of Bipolar - Manic Depression.
Then there's 'reactive' depression; meaning it is caused by an event or experience.
Chemical depression does not cure itself, it is not something that can be erased by just telling the person to, "Keep a smile on your face", "Look on the bright side", "Get over it!". It has to be treated by a qualified medical provider and it may take time to find the right prescription that helps. There are many side effects from the medicines and some patients will discontinue taking it; or perhaps they start to feel better and stop taking it. It's nothing to be light about. If a sufferer does not seek help it can be fatal in some cases; not to mention it can destroy relationships.
Reactive depression can often be relieved by working through it, either with a counselor or at times alone. There are more 'lightweight' medications that can aid during the healing. It still should be taken seriously.
When it is chemical depression it truly is a medical condition and needs to be addressed and not sneered at by those who are not knowledgeable about the condition.
Depression is not the same as sadness as someone else has already mentioned. Therefore, it stands to reason that it is not the same thing as "anger or resentment." My advice to the OP is to do your own reading and reasoning and not trust any one person or group of people on-line. I know what depression is for me. It's not sadness, it's not anger and it's not resentment. Sometimes it feels more like numbness than anything to me. It's knowing I feel like pure crap but not knowing why. Fun fact. True depression does not need a reason. Sadness does. Anger does. Resentment does.
You are bored. Work 10 hours a day. Or travel. End of depression
The point.
Whooooosh.
Your head.
Quote:
Originally Posted by katie45
There is not just one type of depression.
There is depression caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, it usually goes by the name of Bipolar - Manic Depression.
Well, people can be bi-polar or manic-depressive and they can also have classic depression. Those are all tied to chemical imbalances in the brain.
What we need to do is change the name of clinical depression to something else, like Involuntary Desire to Live, aka IDL. I mean, can you imagine a disease called Being Sad? No wonder depression isn't taken seriously. Danbo, I'm lookin' at you.
Gimme' a break! If you're clinically depressed DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!!!
Medicate. Talk about your unresolved trauma with a therapy professional or psychiatrist.
Otherwise, exercise every day, learn something that betters your life every day, do something positive for somebody else every day.
Travel to places that you've never been to, get out of your daily rut. Remove people from your life that harm you.
No drugs, no alcohol, no whining.
Join the army.
Hard to do anything about it when you can't even get out of bed and brush your teeth.
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