Is Depression OVER-DIAGNOSED?
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Original post by BlackSweetness
Is it possible that Depression is being Over-Diagnosed?
i Personally feel it definitely is, the amount of times ive heard someone spout the word 'depression', or i am so 'depressed'! Ive heard people Say they are depression over menial things.
Here are a few sources that back my claim up;
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2534408/Depression-diagnosed-drugs-dished-patients-simply-sad-unable-sleep-warns-expert.html
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/05/study-most-people-diagnosed-with-depression-do-not-actually-meet-criteria/275436/
https://news.liverpool.ac.uk/2014/01/08/depression-over-diagnosed-and-over-treated/
i Personally feel it definitely is, the amount of times ive heard someone spout the word 'depression', or i am so 'depressed'! Ive heard people Say they are depression over menial things.
Here are a few sources that back my claim up;
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2534408/Depression-diagnosed-drugs-dished-patients-simply-sad-unable-sleep-warns-expert.html
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/05/study-most-people-diagnosed-with-depression-do-not-actually-meet-criteria/275436/
https://news.liverpool.ac.uk/2014/01/08/depression-over-diagnosed-and-over-treated/
What youre referring to isn't a case of the provision of over-diagnoses, its just people trivialising the condition.
I think the problem is with normal experience being over medicalised. Something like mood exists very much on a spectrum and there is no definite line where you cross from feeling a bit rubbish to having an illness. It all comes down to the person's interpretation of their symptoms and the doctors decisions. The thing is, we feel the need to diagnose a lot of people who not too long ago would have been considered to be having a normal reaction to life (e.g. bereaved) - in my opinion this is mostly because of drug companies who want to expand their markets. There is also much more acceptance that poor mental health is a thing and it's okay to ask for help and as such many people who would have just gone through life feeling down a lot of the time are going to their doctors about it. In order to access any mental health services those people are going to need a diagnosis. In my opinion, anyone who feels their mood is having a negative effect should have access to help, but it isn't necessarily helpful to diagnose all those people with depression.
I think it is and it isn't. Mental health is so complicated and I think misdiagnosis and so on is difficult to avoid because it's not like when you have cancer and you have concrete proof that certain cells are there causing damage whereas mental health requires a lot of analysis and theres differences in each person's response to their own situation and thus to isn't as easy as just sitting there ticking off boxes. I think the biggest problem with mental health at large, including depression, is that people self-diagnose it.
Also, I think medication is dished out too freely. Anti-depressants had a big impact on a lot of things for me and I eventually stopped taking them by my own admission.
Also, I think medication is dished out too freely. Anti-depressants had a big impact on a lot of things for me and I eventually stopped taking them by my own admission.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by BlackSweetness
Definitely, Ive always felt the people who make their depression to the public such as Facebook, twitter etc, could possibly not really be depressed, but using the word depression as a blanket for their own selfish reasons!
Hmm. Publicly talking about your MH issue, no matter whether casual/lighthearted or serious/in depth, is too often dismissed as attention seeking or just not believed. I agree that depression shouldn't be used unless talking about the illness (or, you know, an economic crash) but it's not really your place to speculate about whether or not someone else has mental health issues by just an online post.
Original post by lameteenager
Hmm. Publicly talking about your MH issue, no matter whether casual/lighthearted or serious/in depth, is too often dismissed as attention seeking or just not believed. I agree that depression shouldn't be used unless talking about the illness (or, you know, an economic crash) but it's not really your place to speculate about whether or not someone else has mental health issues by just an online post.
It is my place, especially when they feel the need to spout they have depression every chance they get. I understand that Mental Illnesses are a fragile thing, but constantly posting about it and using it for attention and selfish acts is just something else
Original post by BlackSweetness
It is my place, especially when they feel the need to spout they have depression every chance they get. I understand that Mental Illnesses are a fragile thing, but constantly posting about it and using it for attention and selfish acts is just something else
Depression takes over your damn life. It's all consuming, or it can be anyway, to the point where you think about it every day. Plus it does actually make you very inwardly focused, so if someone seems 'selfish' it's probably their depression talking.
Original post by BlackSweetness
Definitely, Ive always felt the people who make their depression to the public such as Facebook, twitter etc, could possibly not really be depressed, but using the word depression as a blanket for their own selfish reasons!
I have a friend who is open about her depression. Why? Because she doesn't want her friends, children, etc. to go through all the crap she went through. Not everyone who talks about their depression does it for attention.
Original post by BlackSweetness
It is my place, especially when they feel the need to spout they have depression every chance they get. I understand that Mental Illnesses are a fragile thing, but constantly posting about it and using it for attention and selfish acts is just something else
How do you know that someone is using it for attention and selfish acts? At the end of the day, it's the person's decision regarding what they share. Also talking about illness is one way to beat stigma. Or would you rather people keep it to themselves? By you saying that even talking about mental health makes you an attention seeker and selfish adds massively to the stigma.
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I've never understood the whole 'doing it for attention' attitude a lot of people say when others talk openly about mental health. A lot of the attention you get if you do talk openly about it is that you are an attention seeker or you're weak and let's face it, who actually goes out looking for that kind of attention? I was open about my OCD because of the thousands of misconceptions about it. I was sick to death of people saying "oh I'm so OCD!" when they were just taking the piss and sick of people thinking all we do is "wash our hands a lot". I wanted people to realise it is a bloody debilitating illness, not some personality quirk and certainly not something "we all have a bit of". I didn't write it all doom and gloom but I wasn't all sunshine and rainbows either. I was open about my panic disorder and agoraphobia too and it was surprising how many mails I got from people who you would never have expected to suffer from them too - ya know, the mega confident and popular people and all that jazz and that showed me that anyone can fall victim to MH conditions. It's not just the quiet or 'weak' people that get it. I am loud, out going, can talk to anyone yet I have a severe anxiety disorder (OCD) yet so many people think if you have any form of an anxiety problem, all it means is you're shy. That's social anxiety. People seem to think that's the only anxiety you can experience. Talking about it openly also removes stigma.
You can't win though. You talk about it openly and you get branded an attention seeker but if you keep it to yourself then people say you're adding to the stigma and you're no better than those who directly stigmatize MH.
Posted from TSR Mobile
You can't win though. You talk about it openly and you get branded an attention seeker but if you keep it to yourself then people say you're adding to the stigma and you're no better than those who directly stigmatize MH.
Posted from TSR Mobile
(edited 8 years ago)
Personally I don't feel that it is over-diagnosed as such, instead I would say there's an increase in those kind of mental health conditions due to the way life is lived nowadays. Thimk back a long time ago where everyone had a job that actually had a material outcome: Such as a tailor making clothes and saddles. However due to the rise of more sophisticated machinery many of these manual jobs have been eroded away and instead we have many jobs out there today which do not have the same sense of purpose, the same sense of fufillment at the end of the day.
Most of the human race used to be creators at some point in time, but now we as a whole have become consumers, constantly looking for the next product to bring us hapiness: For me it was the next videogame, or the next chocolate bar, anything to make me forget how bad my life was at the time. Well I'm proud to say that's all behind me, but I wouldn't be suprised if the same reasons apply to many, the idea that a sense of purpose has been lost in this modern age and as a result mental health problems are on the rise.
Just an opinion!
Best regards
FH
Most of the human race used to be creators at some point in time, but now we as a whole have become consumers, constantly looking for the next product to bring us hapiness: For me it was the next videogame, or the next chocolate bar, anything to make me forget how bad my life was at the time. Well I'm proud to say that's all behind me, but I wouldn't be suprised if the same reasons apply to many, the idea that a sense of purpose has been lost in this modern age and as a result mental health problems are on the rise.
Just an opinion!
Best regards
FH
Original post by Foo.mp3
1) Electrosmog (microwave radiation) is conceivably a leading contributor, and is clearly correlated with the mesmeric rise in reported cases
2) Cultural and socioeconomic strains (status obsession/housing crisis) e.g. relating to materialism, gender role degradation and mass immigration
3) Self-absorbed population post community/church-centred living and 'The Century of Self' + digital revulsion (harsh [tech enabled] self criticism)
4) The pharma industry are happy to capitalise/encourage the medical establishment (pharma-medical-industrial complex) to over-medicate
2) Cultural and socioeconomic strains (status obsession/housing crisis) e.g. relating to materialism, gender role degradation and mass immigration
3) Self-absorbed population post community/church-centred living and 'The Century of Self' + digital revulsion (harsh [tech enabled] self criticism)
4) The pharma industry are happy to capitalise/encourage the medical establishment (pharma-medical-industrial complex) to over-medicate
Please don't tell me you're one of those who doesn't believe mental illness truly exists
Original post by Foo.mp3
1) Electrosmog (microwave radiation) is conceivably a leading contributor, and is clearly correlated with the mesmeric rise in reported cases
2) Cultural and socioeconomic strains (status obsession/housing crisis) e.g. relating to materialism, gender role degradation and mass immigration
3) Self-absorbed population post community/church-centred living and 'The Century of Self' + digital revulsion (harsh [tech enabled] self criticism)
4) The pharma industry are happy to capitalise/encourage the medical establishment (pharma-medical-industrial complex) to over-medicate
2) Cultural and socioeconomic strains (status obsession/housing crisis) e.g. relating to materialism, gender role degradation and mass immigration
3) Self-absorbed population post community/church-centred living and 'The Century of Self' + digital revulsion (harsh [tech enabled] self criticism)
4) The pharma industry are happy to capitalise/encourage the medical establishment (pharma-medical-industrial complex) to over-medicate
Why am I tagged?
To be honest, I haven't read through this entire thread except the thread-starters initial comment at the top. So I don't know if my opinion has already been voiced. Anyway:
Personally, I disagree with you.
For a fact, there is much more awareness for mental health and illness. I'm sure you've seen the campaigns, TV/radio adverts; I even have them in my school!
People are talking about it more now.
It used to have a stigma attached to it; not so long ago in the 60s, if you had a mental health illness you were thrown in an asylum! Things have changed now, and people are talking about it. Mental illness doesn't share the same factors as a physical illness, but it's real and it exists.
However, to add into the mix. School is a lot more stressful for students now, there is bullying and peer pressure, academic pressure and more. Can you blame young people for being depressed?
Not that old people are not depressed - anybody can get depressed!
Also, keep in mind that a lot of people (mostly young) are self-diagnosing through a quick Google search.
There is also a difference between feeling a bit down or depressed over something for a period of time, as opposed to having a clinical diagnosis of depression.
Personally, I disagree with you.
For a fact, there is much more awareness for mental health and illness. I'm sure you've seen the campaigns, TV/radio adverts; I even have them in my school!
People are talking about it more now.
It used to have a stigma attached to it; not so long ago in the 60s, if you had a mental health illness you were thrown in an asylum! Things have changed now, and people are talking about it. Mental illness doesn't share the same factors as a physical illness, but it's real and it exists.
However, to add into the mix. School is a lot more stressful for students now, there is bullying and peer pressure, academic pressure and more. Can you blame young people for being depressed?
Not that old people are not depressed - anybody can get depressed!
Also, keep in mind that a lot of people (mostly young) are self-diagnosing through a quick Google search.
There is also a difference between feeling a bit down or depressed over something for a period of time, as opposed to having a clinical diagnosis of depression.
Original post by Foo.mp3
1) Electrosmog (microwave radiation) is conceivably a leading contributor, and is clearly correlated with the mesmeric rise in reported cases
2) Cultural and socioeconomic strains (status obsession/housing crisis) e.g. relating to materialism, gender role degradation and mass immigration
3) Self-absorbed population post community/church-centred living and 'The Century of Self' + digital revulsion (harsh [tech enabled] self criticism)
4) The pharma industry are happy to capitalise/encourage the medical establishment (pharma-medical-industrial complex) to over-medicate
2) Cultural and socioeconomic strains (status obsession/housing crisis) e.g. relating to materialism, gender role degradation and mass immigration
3) Self-absorbed population post community/church-centred living and 'The Century of Self' + digital revulsion (harsh [tech enabled] self criticism)
4) The pharma industry are happy to capitalise/encourage the medical establishment (pharma-medical-industrial complex) to over-medicate
Thanks for tagging me in this. Re. bolded - I have often said that the atheists who would like to see religion abolished have to contribute to making sure communities still have a hub and social activities that are open and inclusive to all. Places of worship have been so important for keeping less mobile members of communities (the elderly, children, families without the resources to travel somewhere every weekend) involved. We are social creatures and need to feel a part of a community and I sometimes think people who are lucky enough to be socialising a lot, through work or their leisure activities, forget how important it is to have a replacement for places of worship.
Original post by abruiseonthesky
Please don't tell me you're one of those who doesn't believe mental illness truly exists
Does it matter if the person doesn't believe in mental illness? There are many people who think it does not exist - especially from certain cultures. To label them as "one of those" implies something negative. Surely showing respect for everyone's views is better than dismissing them?
Posted from TSR Mobile
The profit being made from mental illnesses is probably insane. I had a taster lecture at the Uni of Sheffield, and the lecturer suggested the same thing occurred with ADHD in Britain; it was practically non-existent before the 1980s, but companies now make a lot of money by shoving medication (quite literally) down people's throats...
I was told by a GP a few weeks ago that I probably have depression and that I just need to get out more. What I actually have (as I suspected) is a hearing disability. It's not just people labelling themselves with depression when they probably don't have it. Professionals do it too.
I think people need to differentiate between being depressed and having depression.
I can be depressed for a day or two if I get bad news. If I have depression, a condition, I will be in it a couple of weeks or months.
Depressed = a state of feeling down, possibly temporary. Depression = mental health condition.
A large amount of people do get depressed, but not all develop depression.
I can be depressed for a day or two if I get bad news. If I have depression, a condition, I will be in it a couple of weeks or months.
Depressed = a state of feeling down, possibly temporary. Depression = mental health condition.
A large amount of people do get depressed, but not all develop depression.
(edited 8 years ago)
I think so, yes.
