Why are people so ignorant about suicide and depression?

Aren't you a self proclaimed right wing Thatcherite? :hmm:

Pot calling the kettle black....

To be fair, most people get depression from being utter pussys and crying that they do not have a girlfriend or a really big house or something equally pathetic. This then leads to the chemical imbalance etc. It is very rare that the person is born with this problem.
Of course when it is with children it is different because children are more emotionally vulnerable due to their age, but for older folk - grow a pair, it could be far far worse.

He was actually referring to the common trend in rap culture, where the black rapper will go to a club and be surrounded by white / mixed-race girls.
If he had said, "Go down to a club, all the girls that are white caucasian there will be all over you, since all white causasian girls are total whores." then you'd be justified. This wasn't like that, it was obviously a joke.

A lack of serotonin, and in some cases, dopamine (but that depends on the specific case).

So why don't patients with sepiapterin reductase deficiency typically show depressive symptoms? They barely produce any serotonin!

Why is it that typtophan depletion doesn't cause depression in most individuals?

Why is it that SSRE (Re-uptake enhancers) can alleviate depression?

You also describe different etiologies of depression depending on which neurotransmitter is 'deficient'.. So why is it that in rotatory clinical trials (in which patients go through a range of different anti-dep drugs which target all of the major suspect NTs) why is it that one patient can respond to numerous different NT-targetting drugs? In addition, why is it that this selective response can change within the same patient?

Because not enough is known about it and different treatments respond differently in different people.

So you can't answer any of my questions then?

So why are you pushing it as a confirmed and established fact?

You can't dispute a chemical imbalance is a factor though.

To be fair, most people get depression from being utter pussys and crying that they do not have a girlfriend or a really big house or something equally pathetic. This then leads to the chemical imbalance etc. It is very rare that the person is born with this problem.
Of course when it is with children it is different because children are more emotionally vulnerable due to their age, but for older folk - grow a pair, it could be far far worse.

I agree and I think it is a chemical imbalance which could be hereditary or caused by the environment. As has been said it usually is related to dopamine and serotonin. But there are so many other factors hence why different treatments work for different people. Same with ADHD, general anxiety, social anxiety etc. For example, more dopamine dramatically reduces ADHD symptoms in almost every one. Those with social anxiety a have low D2 receptor (A specific dopamine receptor) density. SSRI's usually significantly help those with depression, but sometimes MAOI's etc are needed because of other factors. It is pretty obvious that the brain is one big chemical mess and there is an imbalance for those with various disorders.

Aspirin reduces my headache. Does that mean headaches are caused by a lack of aspirin?

What? I just did. I just cited to you multiple areas of research which actively contradict the serotonin deficiency hypothesis.

Sorry, but I find it incredibly ironic that you've made a thread about the ignorance surrounding depression and you come out with speil that is considered to be laughable in the scientific community.

Step-dad who moaps and sulks around the house all day. Moaning moaning, moaning and doing nothing about the things he's moaning about....When HE has the power to change them.

That is a weak weak argument. You have pretty much contradicted yourself already by saying SSRE's help alleviate depression. Yes, they are the opposite of what is usually used but you are changing the chemical balance of your brain i.e reducing serotonin. This is effectively saying there was an imbalance before and you are correcting the chemical imbalance albeit in an unconventional way. Then you go on to reject a theory about imbalance. Laughable.

A lack of serotonin, and in some cases, dopamine (but that depends on the specific case).

I haven't contradicted myself at all. I have simply sought to dispute the claim that "Depression = lack of serotonin" by stating drugs which work to reduce the longevity of serotonin in the synaptic cleft can alleviate depression. This is counter-evidence.

What is this balance you speak of? What are the opposing forces? Where are they? How does the medication correct any imbalances?

Because there's a lot of depressed people who just moan and moan and moan and moan and moan and moan and moan and moan

About the most trivial things... And use depression as an excuse? There's lots of people who say they are depressed & are going to commit suicide as a way of attention seeking (though i aim this less at people who are actually depressed because I know unfortunately that there's a large portion who also suffer in silence and really hide their sorrow).

IDK, my Mum & step-dad both suffer depression. My mum tries to get on with it although will have the occasional day where she just cant and goes really suicidally down. Generally she tries to look on the bright side of things though etc.

Vs

Step-dad who moaps and sulks around the house all day. Moaning moaning, moaning and doing nothing about the things he's moaning about....When HE has the power to change them.

Mum has tried suicide a few times, step-dad has not.

But in general....idk....i'm just throwing things around :P

EDIT: In general though people need to not be dicks on the internet - because you never know who is a real case, truely seeking help, and dick comments can really push them over that line.

I haven't contradicted myself at all. I have simply sought to dispute the claim that "Depression = lack of serotonin" by stating drugs which work to reduce the longevity of serotonin in the synaptic cleft can alleviate depression. This is counter-evidence.

What is this balance you speak of? What are the opposing forces? Where are they? How does the medication correct any imbalances?