Why do we blame morbidly obese people but not depressed people for their condition?

The extent at which this is utter rubbish is so damn incomprehensible. First of all get depressed and then come back and say what it feels like. Chemical imbalances pretty much affect EVERYONE. Clinical depression affects around about 10% of people. The point is most people will experience a low mood in their lifetime but that's not depression. To actually be diagnosed of depression it's got to be two weeks of several different symptoms - and low mood doesn't even need to be one of them! Science shows that specific hormones are lowered, noradrenaline and serotonin, in depressed individuals and the treatments work. And don't give a load of rubbish about it's the placebo effect because they're tested against placebo. Seriously don't act so smart when the amount you know about the subject is less than my fingernail.

http://www.spring.org.uk/2008/02/new-study-ssri-antidepressants-dont.php

There is actually a lot of debate about the effectiveness of SSRIs in treating depression, but the psychiatrists and drug companies ultimately need a job and so they continue to push them like magic pills. Let us not delude ourselves with calling psychology a "science"(the entire field is in its infancy compared to natural sciences like physics), and using it to justify pushing dangerous drugs in society is just downright immoral.

There are more academic papers, of course, citing or reaching similar conclusions. It's laughable to read the pseudo-intellectuals (not yourself) coming on to this thread, claiming to possess any degree of knowledge by stating inane things like 'OH YEH UR JUST FAT COZ U DNT TRY HARD ENUF LALALALALALALA'. Both depression and morbid obesity, which is what the OP addressed, are serious clinical and medical conditions and the reason for the current perspectives on both of them is purely political and nothing else.

you work for happiness? really... well perhaps we ought to have you educating our doctors on psychiatric problems right now then should we?

no no doctor, depression isn't caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain such as serotonin. its because you aren't working for your happiness.

perhaps you could educate us on schizophrenia, is it simply that people aren't working hard enough for their sanity? what about psychosis? any other mental health illnesses that can simply be remedied by working harder at some aspect of life?

in all seriousness it should be pointed out that there is a difference between having just a low mood temporarily and actual clinical depression. one is common and goes away after a few days and the other is a serious mental health problem.

assuming you mean actual clinical depression, then no you are wrong. its not simply that the person isn't 'working for their happiness'. you are being very naive and insensitive to think this. perhaps you should read some about depression.
start here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_depression

The Op got smashed by loads of people adamantly opposing a reasonable comparison with the very original defense of, "if you aren't an recognized authority then your opinion isn't valid. Of course they all ignored this very objective and informed post. The truth is even though both conditions are different illnesses they are often both caused by psychological problems. The sentiments on this thread are clearly prejudicial and hypocritical.

I don't think you can compare depression and obesity.


One means stop eating crap and control your diet. A physical action.
Another is battling depressing thoughts you can't escape.

To my knowledge morbid obesity and depression are similar it these ways:

1. Both are considered to be the result of psychological issues/conditions
2. Both are debilitating to someone's health, relationships, and career.
3. Both may be caused by or exacerbated by personal behavior.
4. Those who suffer from both these conditions are likely to be a burden on family/friend/loved ones and society.

So why is it when someone disparages the morbidly obese for their behavior there is minimal outrage in response and often even a general consensus of agreement? (I have seen this occur often on TSR. TSR loves to abuse the fatties like the extra soft and squishy punching bags they are.)

Why is it when someone disparages the depressed they receive a torrent of outrange and often outright disgust for their audacity? (This always happens on TSR. Try even suggesting that depressed people may be slightly responsible for their own condition and the "pro-depression brigade" will come out in force prepared to fight for the honor and rights of these poor souls as if they are the last remnants of an endangered species.)

I have two theories as to why there is such an opposite in sentiment for two conditions with so much in common.

1. The accepted treatment for the obese is to educate and motivate them to change their habits and lifestyle. The accepted treatment for the depressed is medicate them and excuse their behavior/condition in order break the cycle of depression.

2. Because depression is so wide spread (1 in 4 people they say) many people here have been, are, or care about someone who is depressed. Depression hits to close to home, so when taken into consideration with point #1, too many people consider the depressed to be exempt from criticism. No one, should be exempt from criticism.

I think the disparity in peoples regard for obesity and depression is hypocritical, dishonest, and often self-serving. So should we be more understanding of one group or more critical of the other? I reckon we should probably be a little bit of both.

The Op got smashed by loads of people adamantly opposing a reasonable comparison with the very original defense of, "if you aren't an recognized authority then your opinion isn't valid. Of course they all ignored this very objective and informed post. The truth is even though both conditions are different illnesses they are often both caused by psychological problems. The sentiments on this thread are clearly prejudicial and hypocritical.

The OP has said some horrible things about depression (probably to upset and troll people), and not much about obesity. He seems quite prejudicial, and people have the right to tell him so.

Please refer to my post.

It was too long sorry.
I wasn't insulting obese people. Just one is a more physical cure and the other is more an emotional one.


I haven't suffered from either. So evidently I'm going by assumption.
Both are awful.

I get some sick pleasure out of reading this thread, it irritates me so much i almost enjoy it. Lacking so much self control you can't control your calorie intake and one of the most crippling psychiatric illnesses are not the same. Only someone who has never experienced depression could rationalise this.


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No problem. All I was saying in summary was that obesity is caused (we don't know the frequency amongst obese people yet) by underlying mental health issues such as depression and I cited a couple of academic papers - just their abstracts - to point out it just wasn't as simple as fat people are fat because they eat a lot.