[Bimbleby]

(Original post by keziah_X)
I think it's because GPs are a bit quick to diagnose mental conditions nowadays so there seem to be a lot of 'depressed' people around. I mean I've had physical ailments as a result of stress like some hair loss and chest pains and my GP instantly diagnosed me with anxiety, which I know I don't have, having read more about it since. A lot of people who feel the symptoms of depression are probably feeling down due to stress and other factors, and while they should 100% get counselling they don't necessarily need to be clinically diagnosed with depression. As well as all these rushed diagnoses there's also the issue of whiney teenagers using the term depression as a synonym for fed up.

This. Not only does it do a massive injustice to people who really suffer from depression when people who are sad get diagnosed with it and prescribed drugs, but it's incredibly frustrating for depressed people, too. I had one friend in particular who got sad because he realised he was a prick (he got caught out), another who was prescribed anti-depressants when his wife left him, and yet more who are stressed or worried about a particular thing but are really just having a normal reaction to a situation. People feel sad, intensely sad and I'm not attempting to negate or demean that experience in any way. Sometimes I think being sad about a particular thing is often much worse than depression, at least in the short term (I'd rather be me on an ok day when I'm depressed than someone who's wife just left them), but depression is a very different beast.

People like lobbing terms at things... I was diagnosed with social anxiety when I was in a psychiatric hospital. I don't have it, I'm just shy, and not even very shy, for that matter. Equally true for all sorts of s***ty diagnoses which apply to some people but barely any of those diagnosed. I knew one girl (a sister of a friend) diagnosed with ADHD who was uncontrollable without ritalin, despite all her siblings being fine and despite everyone's efforts to calm her down. She, I'd say, had a problem. Now I'm at university, every other f***ing person has 'ADHD', by which they mean they sometimes get distracted from reading by a squirrel. As if that isn't a completely normal state to be in. Doctors like medicalising things because it makes people feel better. It doesn't mean you actually have a disorder.

In my own experience depression is not only far more long-term than sadness, but unrelated to circumstances and defined not so much by sadness as by hopelessness and loss of pleasure. Nothing feels good when you're depressed, but even at your saddest there is still some pleasure in good things.

This is in no small part due to the fact that drug companies make a f***ton out of anti-depressants, so it's in their interests to spread the idea that the symptoms of sadness are a medical condition which can be cured by drugs. They're not.

[OU Student]

(Original post by Bimbleby)
People like lobbing terms at things... I was diagnosed with social anxiety when I was in a psychiatric hospital. I don't have it, I'm just shy, and not even very shy, for that matter.

Given how shy I am, I'm surprised I've not been diagnosed with this. Not that I think I have it, of course.

Equally true for all sorts of s***ty diagnoses which apply to some people but barely any of those diagnosed. I knew one girl (a sister of a friend) diagnosed with ADHD who was uncontrollable without ritalin, despite all her siblings being fine and despite everyone's efforts to calm her down. She, I'd say, had a problem. Now I'm at university, every other f***ing person has 'ADHD', by which they mean they sometimes get distracted from reading by a squirrel. As if that isn't a completely normal state to be in. Doctors like medicalising things because it makes people feel better. It doesn't mean you actually have a disorder.

My cousin supposedly has ADHD. He can sit and watch a film. Oh, how I'd love to do that. (physical disabilities make sitting for long periods difficult)

[1tartanarmy]

(Original post by ilovelabradors)
Medication may help but to a very little extent. In most cases it shouldn't even be prescribed although some doctors appear to love to put their patients on antidepressants. IT.

The reason they prescribe it is because there is scientific evidence to support their use for the indication. If the drug isn't working then sometimes its down to factors such as genetics, diet , enviromental influences and even other drugs. Your best bet is to inform the doctor or even pharmacist its not working and they will prescribe an alternative. There is always alternatives. SSRI , TCA'S , MAOI , etc etc. You need to communicate because although doctors are clever, they cannot be expected to learn the differences in each and every singles persons genes/lifestyle.

[Octohedral]

Firstly: I'm sorry about your experience OP, I hope you feel better soon

Secondly: (Probably for people without the condition to answer), let's be practical. What can be done about it? It is natural for people who have never been depressed to belittle it, in the same way that obese people are ridiculed whatever their underlying condition, or people with dyslexia. There is no point saying again and again that it's 'biochemical' - people won't believe you. I propose;

1. Much more scientific research into mental health. It is a relatively new science, and often swept under the carpet - we want to know everything humanly possible about what the chemicals are, what triggers them, what genetics are involved, depression through history, if any preventative measures exist, and so on. As an illness, it is within our power to eventually eradicate it.

2. Less overdiagnosis - teach children not to use it in everyday speech, or 'oh, I'm so depressed today' will become fixed in their heads as irritating and untrue. Also, encourage people not to self-diagnose. The symptoms of self-indulgence and depression are very similar, so they need to be separated in the modern psyche.

3. Make the facts, with evidence, as widely available as possible.

Hopefully then we can make sure it is classified as it should be

[Anonymous]

the most common phrase i hear when people notice im upset/down/just generally numb (in public, which i try to avoid nowadays) is "what have you got to be upset about?" and its really starting to get on my nerves. i feel like im not upset about anything in particular, just myself and my existence in general. people need to get over this idea of mental illness as attention seeking - i also have physical conditions that cause me great pain, but nobody tells me to get over the pain cause im just faking it

[ForKicks]

That is dangerous as then people who do have depression will think they are just being lazy, not seek help, and sink further into it. I hope you reprimanded your friend OP!

[TheHansa]

(Original post by Iron Lady)
Firstly, what? I've never heard the stereotype that people with depression have had a bad upbringing. It is just one of those things.

I've been suffering from depression for the last six to seven years of my life (on and off), you just need to pull yourself up by the boot straps, brush yourself down and rise above it. It's easier said than done, but I've got better by thinking positively - and you can to.

If depression is due to a chemical or physical difference I'm sure that's easier said than done.

[Formerly Helpful_C]

(Original post by Above.The.Empyrean)
I'm manifestly exacerbated with your, forgive the expletive, ****ING **** of a friend. He has no cognitive faculty to farcically incriminate people with such a preposterous stigma of "attention-seeker". I'm currently experiencing unfathomable melancholia and I'm contemplating whether to just walk out of my house and aspire for some enlightenment, somehow.

Yeah, you could have written that comment without coming across as pretentious but, I suppose this is your idea of 'superiority'.

[Eveiebaby]

I'm 26 and have had clinical depression on and off for almost 10 years. Undiagnosed - probably for longer as I was always going into counselling as a young teenager for various issues I had at school.

For some reason it's always as unbearable as it was at the beginning of my diagnosis. I imagined I might have become used to just feeling ****e, but the feeling just tends to evolve and become entrenched, like some revolting virus. Add work into the mix and it can become very difficult, as I have a good reputation for my motivating disposition.

Back on the antidepressants today and took my first citalopram (for a few months) today and almost freaked out/lost my mind at work. Gotta love the side effects.