|
People who have "depression" need to get over themselves. It's just like saying that being an
alcoholic is a disease, yeah right, Go try to tell someone with cancer that. All in all I think that
saying you have a psychological disease is just a way of drawing attention to your self, and make
people pity you. |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
Yes, I think the concept of depression is rubbish. In fact, I'd go further and say that the concept
of mental illness itself is rubbish. Psychologists borrowed the illness metaphor from the domain of
physical health at a time when physical medicine was seeing dramatic gains. It's really not an
appropriate metaphor, though, much less a description. It implies that some alien or external thing
is adversely affecting the proper functioning of the personality, just as an invading microorganism,
like a bacteria or virus, adversely affects the functioning of the body to cause disease. I reject
this. In my view, people deemed mentally ill are really just people with unusual personalities.
Their unusualness is their personality, not some external agency which is affecting and warping
it.
In our society, in general, there is a tendency to try and externalize blame. It makes us seem not
as responsible for our own foolish choices if we can claim to be the victim of some imaginary
"condition". |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
Not a fad no. But I agree with the general point. I think we have made a lot of discoveries
regarding the brain, emotions, and generally what makes us so individual. These advances are
important and in some cases the resulting treatment can make a big difference. I don't doubt
depression, Dyslexia, Torrettes, ADHD etc all exist in their true forms, but I do wonder how many
people are using a label as an excuse not to bother making too much of an effort, they actually
can't spell because they are thick or lazy, they swear too much for the same reasons, and don't get
off their backsides and get to work and do something with their lives because they claim to be
'depressed. Everyone gets SAD (seasonal ? Disorder). Who likes winter? Now it has an official title
life shouldn't stand still. Just get on with it. I sound cold and heartless but I stress there
are clearly true cases out there, just that a lot of people are dissolving themselves of their own
responsibility.
I agree with Cephus, there is clinical depression and then there is, a bit low, down in the dumps,
feeling miserable. The answer is not to treat so many as depressed and give'em some pills. |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
Agreed, there are far too many people who figure if they complain about being depressed, they'll get
drugs to take care of it. What most people don't get is that it's abnormal to be up and happy all
the time, they're supposed to be depressed from time to time and they need to deal with it in other
ways than popping pills. |
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
|
I think the problem is that usually depression is your mind and body telling you something is out of
order, and instead of dealing with the problem we treat the symptom as the disease and leave the
real problem to fester. That being said I’ve also seen clinical depression that is a real problem
and it’s own disease. |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
There's no such thing as a clinical fad. |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
Fads are things many want to follow which don't last. Who wants to be depressed? |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
Depression, whatever the cause, I believe is real for the person experiencing it. "Depression" is a
label used to describe a way of being. In most cases it is brought on as a result of the choices
that we have made, the way in which we have conducted ourselves. I believe that we are the products
of many factors in our environment and that for many, healthy choices may seem difficult and they
are made with the information that we had at whatever point that we were at in our development. At
some point we might say that we have no choice and this may seem to be the case and I disagree.
Regarding the statement that depression is a fad. This may be true in so far as certain societal
trends continue. Isolation, desensitization/objectification, etc. 4TheFuture, you stated in one of
your comments that all you needed was someone who would listen and you had the courage to seek out
that someone AND engage in dialogue. You chose to not label your state as depression. Again ,only a
label. I think that depression can be short term or chronic and appearing as a deep sadness or
debilitating. My point is that I wonder how you might be had you not decided to talk w/ someone.
What were you thinking when you were sad? I know when I am depressing I can start to think that I
will feel that way forever and only when I decide to do something do I feel better. Some do not make
this choice and eventually go so far away from themselves that they don't know how to find their way
back. Wherever they are on this continuum is not the point. I think that the point is is that they
are feeling depressed. |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
It is sad that people feel this way in regards to this subject. Depression is a common problem
amongst all age groups. Psychiatrists are trained to recognize this symptom and diagnose it
correctly. It has nothing to do with a "fad". It is very serious and it should actually be taken
more seriously. People blow it off or disregard it and that is a problem. Depression is a serious
problem. When you just can't seem to be happy at all, it isn't a great feeling.
I think this seems more popular because less people are scared to admit that they do indeed suffer
from it. People definetly need medicine to help relieve the symptoms of depression and it should not
be looked down on. Suicide rates are up and it is due mostly to depression. There are some common
illnesses that could be other options besides depression, such as bipolar disorder, maniac
depressive, multiple personality disorder and so on, but depression is key in all these diagnoses. |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
Some people do tend to say that they are depressed without really knowing the meaning of the word,
but it is a serious illness.
People with serious depression cannot help it. They have feelings of intense sadness which is very
different from simply feeling down on a particular day. The truth is, you could think that someone
is using it as an excuse but they may not be.
Depression is not an easy thing to deal with, it's a horrible illness that is incredibly difficult
to battle, especially when you are against certain types of medication like anti depressants, which
can actually make some people feel worse rather than heal them.
Depression is not a fad. The only person who knows to what extent a person is suffering is that
person themselves. No one else knows just how bad someone may be feeling. People may think they have
an idea, but they don't.
Depression is just as bad as any other serious illness. It often results in suicide. I don't
understand how anyone could think it is a fad, excuse, self pity etc. It isn't. It's about feeling
so low that finding any enjoyment is almost impossible. It seriously affects relationships and day
to day activities.
People who don't listen to the sufferers and take them seriously should do, because they have no
idea just how bad that person may be feeling. |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
I'm on the fence about this one. I agree that there are people who say they're depressed because
they think it would be 'cool', but having been there, done that, depression is a serious mental
disease. It's not controllable either. It's different from 'not feeling up and happy all the time'
or SAD (though that is a viable comparison) because it's year-round. Depression is feeling down and
sad more than normal. It's not because someone is a Goth or a loser or something. I mean, I'm a
vegan! I'm an environmentalist! I'm not a Goth! But I have depression. I fight it as best I can
WITHOUT medication, but it's HARD! It's hard! It's like having an uncontrollable mood swing and not
being able to do anything about it. NOTHING will cheer you up. There are a number of things I can do
to make it better, but it is seriously a mental illness. I'll probably have it for the rest of my
life because I choose not to medicate myself. It's unbelievable unless you HAVE it. I don't like
talking about it to most people because I hate getting pity. But you need to understand that for
people who have it, it's a serious mental illness that needs to be respected. For people who are
pretending to have it because it's 'cool' to have a problem, they should be ashamed of themselves
and grateful they DON'T have one. |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
I disagree...sure some teeny boppers who have had their lives handed to them on a silver platter may
have a difficulties coping with real life and doctors love to label things but as a person who has
depression i don't think its cool...not at all...nobody but my spouse knows i have depression cause
its not something I'm proud of and i certainly don't think its anything to brag about it. |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
There may be some truth that depression is a fad, but I think its increasing incidence in our
culture is due primarily to the increase in emptiness in our lives. The "empty self" is
characterized by: Inordinate individualism, high infantilism, narcissism, passivity, seeking
sensation as pleasure instead of true joy, lack of an interior self, and too hurried and busy.
These increasing trends lead to emptiness and depression.
I would also say there is strong environmental and genetic components as well. |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
In some cases it would appear that some teens are saying they have depression to gain attention but
to say it as a whole is a 'fad' is a gross misconception and could not be farther from the truth it
is a very real and disturbing illness. |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
So sad that anyone would ever suggest that the serious, sometimes deadly, medical disease is some
kind of fad. All that believe such dreadful attitudes obviously are among those who are blessed
with positive physical brain health where they do not have inadequate communication across the nerve
endings, the basic cause of numerous other serious physical-medical damaging health conditions.
Some include ADHD, restless legs syndrome, thyroid diseases that often lead to horrible mental
illness as well as various physical illnesses, developmental medical conditions, and more.
The physical-medical, clinical depression is not 'sadness', but is a debilitating medical condition
that can only be helped by anti-depressant medications, which are NOT some sort of "happy pill."
Blessed are those who do not find themselves so physically debilitated that they feel so deep in a
tunnel that they cannot find a way to climb out of that tunnel or stop the falling down a cliff that
only suicide seems the only way to deal with it. No matter how much we love and are loved by
others, we cannot find a way to get out of the severe depression until we find a physician who will
prescribe one of the many medical medications called 'antidepressants' that can save our lives.
Depression is a severe physical disease that affects everyone who loves the patient; and they know
that it may become their disease as well because, like many other physical-medical illnesses,
depression seems to have a familial, inherited cause as well as a familial environment cause such as
child abuse, incest, domestic violence, parent in prison or, and other damaging emotionally -related
causes.
Oh, that scientists find a way to vaccinate against the physical cause of the disease. Scientists
cannot stop damaging family environments.
I pray that that day will come when nobody suffers such a heinous disease and that those who
presently suffer from it can find a way to avoid suicide. |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
Depression can come up from many different things. Such as dehydration, or emotional and physical
issues. I understand how it may be a "fad", but that is completely different from the deficiency
happening in the core of the brain. It is simply a mental disorder. I can understand that
situation because I have depression. All of the girls in my family have it, actually. I know for a
fact they don't see this as a "fad" what-so-ever. Being "Emo(Emotional)" is a fad. It's not that
different from depression, but they do have their differences. I really don't want anyone opposing
to my response. If you have the need to, fine. I'm not that impressed about how most people side
with these days. It's common sense. You all should know this. |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
No one can claim to know exactly what another person is thinking and feeling, and then claim that
depression is a "fad".
The emotional state of a person is all down to their developmental and social psychological
influences. You may feel extremely confident and happy in your own skin, but the likelihood is that
it is all down to the nature of your upbringing and experiences in later life (and perhaps genetics
is also a factor).
If our characters are conditioned a certain way, we may be more sensitive to public mocking,
stressful situations, major losses etc, increasing our susceptibility to depressive symptoms (we may
feel trapped or feel that we won't be able to handle certain situations).
One explanation of your observation that depression is increasing, could be the increasing
complexity of our society (more young people are choosing city based, office jobs), in turn
increasing average stress levels. |
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
23 Mar 2008 04:56
Sign In
For and Against Recent Activity
