Why are people so ignorant about suicide and depression?
So I was reading this thread http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=28902489#post28902489
and I'm completely shocked and appalled at some of the responses, for example:
"Suicide is for the weakminded"
"Survival of the fittest, he deserved to die"
"I have no sympathy with people who do this selfish act" etc.
How can people be so heartless and ignorant? Also, surely people should be more angry at the bullies? That poor boy died because of some cold hearted, foul people who were complete and utter cowards.
Depression is a chemical imbalance for Gods sake, I don't know why people see it any differently from any other illness. Having it does NOT make you weak in any way, no more than having any other illness does. Why the ignorance and the judgement?
The problem here is the bullies, surely more should be done to combat bullying and abuse?
Urgh this makes me ridiculously angry. People who've never had depression or felt suicidal have no right to judge.
and I'm completely shocked and appalled at some of the responses, for example:
"Suicide is for the weakminded"
"Survival of the fittest, he deserved to die"
"I have no sympathy with people who do this selfish act" etc.
How can people be so heartless and ignorant? Also, surely people should be more angry at the bullies? That poor boy died because of some cold hearted, foul people who were complete and utter cowards.
Depression is a chemical imbalance for Gods sake, I don't know why people see it any differently from any other illness. Having it does NOT make you weak in any way, no more than having any other illness does. Why the ignorance and the judgement?
The problem here is the bullies, surely more should be done to combat bullying and abuse?
Urgh this makes me ridiculously angry. People who've never had depression or felt suicidal have no right to judge.
Scroll to see replies
Original post by .Ali.
I'd like to know why people judge depression more readily than other illnesses.
not really, i seem to remember most of those comments were made by one troll
i think it really is just a case of internet dickheads, people on TSR are also very quick to judge virgins/slags/the religious/the homosexuals
same applies in real life for a lot of that, too
Original post by .Ali.
I'd like to know why people judge depression more readily than other illnesses.
Actually you're playing the devil's advocate, since anyone can figure out why this is the case.
1) Immaterial.
2) Self-Inflicted.
3) Drags other people down who have to listen to all their whining.
4) The judgemental people aren't depressed, therefore reason that they are mentally superior.
5) Point 4 leads to the thought that depression can be easily overcome, if the victim is as strong as the judger.
6) The fact that the victim is failing in this struggle seems pathetic, seeing as they're losing to something that fulfils points 1, 2 and 3.
7) Judgemental people see the victim as selfish, depending on other people to keep them afloat, but not having the inner strength to pull themselves out.
8) Thusly people judge more harshly.
Note, this isn't how I think (though I do think this about teenage girls who get 'depressed' over a tiny relationship or whatever). It's just how it is.
edit: Reading this it seems that you have a thinner skin than most. So part of the reason you see everyone as hatin' on the depressed people is because you don't know when to take something as a brush-off comment.
(edited 13 years ago)
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.
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.
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by .Ali.
Depression is a chemical imbalance for Gods sake
Depression is a chemical imbalance for Gods sake
This buzzphrase is a testiment to how slow the scientific literature trickles down into the public. Or perhaps even testiment to the strength of pharmaceutical advertising.
I could never comprehend why anyone would ever reach a point where they are considering suicide. Killing yourself is so unnatural but it's by no means a weak or wrong thing. If someone came to me telling me they wanted to off themselves I'd automatically try and stop them and prevent it...but really what position am I in to do that? Am I wrong or are they wrong?
It's a hazy subject that needs to be addressed.
It's a hazy subject that needs to be addressed.
Original post by Architecture-er
Actually you're playing the devil's advocate, since anyone can figure out why this is the case.
1) Immaterial.
2) Self-Inflicted.
3) Drags other people down who have to listen to all their whining.
4) The judgemental people aren't depressed, therefore reason that they are mentally superior.
5) Point 4 leads to the thought that depression can be easily overcome, if the victim is as strong as the judger.
6) The fact that the victim is failing in this struggle seems pathetic, seeing as they're losing to something that fulfils points 1, 2 and 3.
7) Judgemental people see the victim as selfish, depending on other people to keep them afloat, but not having the inner strength to pull themselves out.
8) Thusly people judge more harshly.
Note, this isn't how I think (though I do think this about teenage girls who get 'depressed' over a tiny relationship or whatever). It's just how it is.
edit: Reading this it seems that you have a thinner skin than most. So part of the reason you see everyone as hatin' on the depressed people is because you don't know when to take something as a brush-off comment.
1) Immaterial.
2) Self-Inflicted.
3) Drags other people down who have to listen to all their whining.
4) The judgemental people aren't depressed, therefore reason that they are mentally superior.
5) Point 4 leads to the thought that depression can be easily overcome, if the victim is as strong as the judger.
6) The fact that the victim is failing in this struggle seems pathetic, seeing as they're losing to something that fulfils points 1, 2 and 3.
7) Judgemental people see the victim as selfish, depending on other people to keep them afloat, but not having the inner strength to pull themselves out.
8) Thusly people judge more harshly.
Note, this isn't how I think (though I do think this about teenage girls who get 'depressed' over a tiny relationship or whatever). It's just how it is.
edit: Reading this it seems that you have a thinner skin than most. So part of the reason you see everyone as hatin' on the depressed people is because you don't know when to take something as a brush-off comment.
Those points mainly point to ignorance more than anything else.
You think that about teenage girls? I can understand about the attentionseekers, that really irritates me as it devalues depression. I had depression from the age of 13-15 though, diagnosed and everything. So not all teenage girls are attention seeking.
Oh, and the last bit, I don't like it when people think it's perfectly okay to racially stereotype white people, and yet would have a fit if 'white people' stereotyped them.
Original post by GodspeedGehenna
This buzzphrase is a testiment to how slow the scientific literature trickles down into the public. Or perhaps even testiment to the strength of pharmaceutical advertising.
You're saying that it's not a chemical imbalance? That's exactly what it is. There's more to it than that obviously, as it's a complex illness, but that is a major factor.
I think a lot of people feel that a lot of depression cases are weak and that we could all say we're depressed at some point, but we get on with it. Life has ups and downs.
It's the people that claim they're depressed when really they've just had a bad couple of days or just split up from a relationship - that's not depression, that's just feeling sad. These people make it difficult for non-attention-seeking, suicidal people to really get the attention, help, etc that they need.
It's the people that claim they're depressed when really they've just had a bad couple of days or just split up from a relationship - that's not depression, that's just feeling sad. These people make it difficult for non-attention-seeking, suicidal people to really get the attention, help, etc that they need.
Original post by .Ali.
So I was reading this thread http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=28902489#post28902489
and I'm completely shocked and appalled at some of the responses, for example:
"Suicide is for the weakminded"
"Survival of the fittest, he deserved to die"
"I have no sympathy with people who do this selfish act" etc.
How can people be so heartless and ignorant? Also, surely people should be more angry at the bullies? That poor boy died because of some cold hearted, foul people who were complete and utter cowards.
Depression is a chemical imbalance for Gods sake, I don't know why people see it any differently from any other illness. Having it does NOT make you weak in any way, no more than having any other illness does. Why the ignorance and the judgement?
The problem here is the bullies, surely more should be done to combat bullying and abuse?
Urgh this makes me ridiculously angry. People who've never had depression or felt suicidal have no right to judge.
and I'm completely shocked and appalled at some of the responses, for example:
"Suicide is for the weakminded"
"Survival of the fittest, he deserved to die"
"I have no sympathy with people who do this selfish act" etc.
How can people be so heartless and ignorant? Also, surely people should be more angry at the bullies? That poor boy died because of some cold hearted, foul people who were complete and utter cowards.
Depression is a chemical imbalance for Gods sake, I don't know why people see it any differently from any other illness. Having it does NOT make you weak in any way, no more than having any other illness does. Why the ignorance and the judgement?
The problem here is the bullies, surely more should be done to combat bullying and abuse?
Urgh this makes me ridiculously angry. People who've never had depression or felt suicidal have no right to judge.
Don't let it get to you. You are mostly thinking about unemotionally mature people who have little experience to give empathy to this sort of situation. To quote Stephen Fry; intelligence is a sign of depression. Okay so I have paraphrased as I cannot quite remember the exact quote. I have seen it from the other side though. When I had an apartment in London not long ago I was writing an article and an Impreza ambulance fired into the courtyard, followed a few minutes later by a couple of Astras and then an actual Ambulance. Now, when I say fired, this Impreza came into the complex like it was being rallied. All I could tell from the way the paramedics sprinted in at first and then didn't as more arrived was that something had not only happened; it had completed. The young student journalist who lived in the apartment over had hung herself. Her family knew she was unhappy and had gone over to cheer her up. They found her.
I tried not to watch but my desk was by the courtyard. The day she died was a Friday. The worst part was the weekend. I saw that family trying to come to terms with it as they packed her belongings, her dreams, in effect her, into a car to be taken away forever.
For anyone who ever thinks about suicide; dying is easy, living on after your child/partner/parents has done that is hard. Very hard.
Okay, rambling story over. Ignore the kids. If you can find the rest of this video well worth a watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQkE56eFyk4.
Original post by .Ali.
Oh, and the last bit, I don't like it when people think it's perfectly okay to racially stereotype white people, and yet would have a fit if 'white people' stereotyped them.
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 lot of people see it as an "illness of the mind" and see that it's to do with your mentality and how you cope. So people who cannot handle situations and therefore become depressed may be unjustly thought of as being weak etc. People who are judging others probably wouldn't have experienced depression, so will not know what it is like as you pointed out; they won't realise the difficulties of overcoming depression unless they have read into the subject. And they don't realise or particularly care that they may be ignorant of depression, so are fast to make statements.
They see that it is a mental illness - and do not see the emotional factors that the sufferer has to deal with.
They see that it is a mental illness - and do not see the emotional factors that the sufferer has to deal with.
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by Steezy
I think a lot of people feel that a lot of depression cases are weak and that we could all say we're depressed at some point, but we get on with it. Life has ups and downs.
It's the people that claim they're depressed when really they've just had a bad couple of days or just split up from a relationship - that's not depression, that's just feeling sad. These people make it difficult for non-attention-seeking, suicidal people to really get the attention, help, etc that they need.
It's the people that claim they're depressed when really they've just had a bad couple of days or just split up from a relationship - that's not depression, that's just feeling sad. These people make it difficult for non-attention-seeking, suicidal people to really get the attention, help, etc that they need.
I think this hits the nail on the spot really.
Original post by .Ali.
You're saying that it's not a chemical imbalance? That's exactly what it is. There's more to it than that obviously, as it's a complex illness, but that is a major factor.
Considering that the term 'chemical imbalance' implies that there is some sort of 'balance' to begin with, the buzzphrase does not particularly start off on solid grounds.
If you want to be a little more specific about what 'chemical imbalance' you are referring to, I can address it more appropriately.
Original post by .Ali.
So I was reading this thread http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=28902489#post28902489
and I'm completely shocked and appalled at some of the responses, for example:
"Suicide is for the weakminded"
"Survival of the fittest, he deserved to die"
"I have no sympathy with people who do this selfish act" etc.
How can people be so heartless and ignorant? Also, surely people should be more angry at the bullies? That poor boy died because of some cold hearted, foul people who were complete and utter cowards.
Depression is a chemical imbalance for Gods sake, I don't know why people see it any differently from any other illness. Having it does NOT make you weak in any way, no more than having any other illness does. Why the ignorance and the judgement?
The problem here is the bullies, surely more should be done to combat bullying and abuse?
Urgh this makes me ridiculously angry. People who've never had depression or felt suicidal have no right to judge.
and I'm completely shocked and appalled at some of the responses, for example:
"Suicide is for the weakminded"
"Survival of the fittest, he deserved to die"
"I have no sympathy with people who do this selfish act" etc.
How can people be so heartless and ignorant? Also, surely people should be more angry at the bullies? That poor boy died because of some cold hearted, foul people who were complete and utter cowards.
Depression is a chemical imbalance for Gods sake, I don't know why people see it any differently from any other illness. Having it does NOT make you weak in any way, no more than having any other illness does. Why the ignorance and the judgement?
The problem here is the bullies, surely more should be done to combat bullying and abuse?
Urgh this makes me ridiculously angry. People who've never had depression or felt suicidal have no right to judge.
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.
People are ignorant about depression cause they have never been through it themselves in their perfect lives. I spent a lot of my teenage years depressed (for reasons I do not wish to divulge) and it really sucked but I wasn't ever looking for attention I just soldiered on and only ever told one person (one of my ex girlfriends) at least part of it.
Original post by GodspeedGehenna
Considering that the term 'chemical imbalance' implies that there is some sort of 'balance' to begin with, the buzzphrase does not particularly start off on solid grounds.
If you want to be a little more specific about what 'chemical imbalance' you are referring to, I can address it more appropriately.
If you want to be a little more specific about what 'chemical imbalance' you are referring to, I can address it more appropriately.
A lack of serotonin, and in some cases, dopamine (but that depends on the specific case).
Welcome to The Internet .Ali. Home of the stupid and the ignorant. Real life views =/= views of the internet
Original post by .Ali.
Original post by .Ali.
How can people be so heartless and ignorant?
Aren't you a self proclaimed right wing Thatcherite?
Pot calling the kettle black....
(edited 13 years ago)
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