Why are people so ignorant about suicide and depression?

This thread is so interesting... I'm studying psychology at A-level and because of this thread, it's made me question what I'm being taught. =o

What are you being taught?

At the moment I'm being taught about anomalistic psychology and schizophrenia.

I hope you don't think people who commit suicide or feel suicial are weak

What the hell? This is ridiculous. It's not the victims fault.

You cannot compare like that, everyone is different. It's not about being weak, it's about what affects different people. For example, if two people were being bullied about being poor, one was actually poor, and one wasn't, it would affect the poor person more, simply because it hurts being bullied about something you can't change. Similarly, if someone said something about the other person that was true or about an insecurity they had, it would hurt them.

I think it takes a considerable amount of courage to go ahead with suicide, it's kind of like a sign of strength from the person. These people still have character and are still human - they aren't mindless - it's just that when their perceived quality of life falls below a personal threshold they 'realise' that suicide becomes a viable option.

I know someone who has tried to commit suicide, this person suffered horrible familial issues that are still going on. She is one of the strongest people I know.

I think it takes a considerable amount of courage to go ahead with suicide, it's kind of like a sign of strength from the person. These people still have character and are still human - they aren't mindless - it's just that when their perceived quality of life falls below a personal threshold they 'realise' that suicide becomes a viable option.

I know someone who has tried to commit suicide, this person suffered horrible familial issues that are still going on. She is one of the strongest people I know.

That isnt true, in your example specifically, poor people have become successful, if they can do it , you and I can do it with some hard work and confidence in ourselves!

That attitude in the quote usually is teh starting point for people to get depresssed and eventually killing themselves (aka I cant do anything, my life is sh** and I hate everything bla bla bla)

That isnt true, in your example specifically, poor people have become successful, if they can do it , you and I can do it with some hard work and confidence in ourselves!

That attitude in the quote usually is teh starting point for people to get depresssed and eventually killing themselves (aka I cant do anything, my life is sh** and I hate everything bla bla bla)

I think it takes a considerable amount of courage to go ahead with suicide, it's kind of like a sign of strength from the person. These people still have character and are still human - they aren't mindless - it's just that when their perceived quality of life falls below a personal threshold they 'realise' that suicide becomes a viable option.
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This may be the case for you and your best friend but it not the case for me. I have also been diagnosed with depression and an eating disorder. I'm undergoing treatment currently. I don't hide it. It's part of me. I need people to understand what's going on with me so that they can tell when I'm falling apart and give me some support. I need people to understand why I'm weird sometimes and how my depression and the treatment of other people towards me sometimes makes me say things I don't mean and why I find it hard to trust people. If my friends didn't know about it all they'd just think I was some b*itch and they wouldn't be friends with me anymore.

Also, I'm not ashamed. If I had a 'physical' illness, should I hide it? Why is this any different for me? And I know some people can't talk about it so I think it's important that the people who can try to raise awareness and change attitudes.

3) Drags other people down who have to listen to all their whining.

Thats nonsense. What would be harder, facing up to your problems, or giving up(aka suicide)?

How does one go about becoming depressed?

I kinda want to be, so I can justify my opinion on the matter.

Actually, suicide does take a lot of courage. The person who is doing it is leaving everything they have ever known, and taking a huge jump into the unknown. Is there an afterlife? Will they ever see those they love? Will they even remember this life? As the afterlife is so uncertain, there is no garauntee that it will even stop the pain.

Think about it, you can't undo it. It's final. It takes a lot of guts to do that. It isn't weak at all.

Oh poor me. my life is so awful. I have no friends. My dog died. My parents hate me. My job is awful. My girlfriend is having an affair. Im being bullied by the milkman. Everynight i sit in my room and sob in a ball of self pity. I think im depressed. I keep having negative thoughts about life and i feel slightly suicidal. Maybe I should try and fix my problems? No, that will take too long and I am too weak to deal with my problems. So what should i do? I know, i will jump in front of a train on the spur of the moment. That way it will all be over quickly and i will never have to face any of my problems!! I can just leave everyone else to sort out my mess. The good thing is, after Im dead people will say i was brave because i killed myself. HA HA HA how foolish they are. Oh, i have to go, i have a train to catch!

You are one of the most ignorant people I've ever met. I personally think you may be trolling, but even so, that's really distasteful.

It is not to do with being weak. You don't even have to have something to be depressed about. It is an ILLNESS. Mocking the depressed is like mocking the disabled, it's childish.

Also, you don't just jump in front of a train. Usually, you spend ages considering what to do, and it's a horrible feeling. Unless you yourself have ever felt like that, I strongly suggest you do not comment, as clearly you know nothing about it.

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.