Poll: What do you think of depression?

[Daniel Allsopp]

I suffer from clinical depression, and I have seen a lot of people dismiss depression on the internet. They say that depression is an excuse, or to "just get over it", but I know from experience that depression is very real and not easy to shake off. It seems to me people dismiss depression in order to protect themselves from it, and people that have encountered depression are more accepting of it.

Dear reader, what are your thoughts on this matter?

Edit: Due to confusion, I wish to point out "encountered" means "met anyone with or have had". It does not just mean "had".

 

[Twilight_guy]

My mom has depression. It's a clinical condition like any medical condition and can't be solved by just willing it away. That said its important who know who has clinical depression and who is just mopping.

 

[Julianking93]

Yes, I've been through lots of depression in the past.
I'm a depressive bipolar and therefore only really go from being overly hyper active and happy to horribly depressed. Never really any middle ground.
Yet, my parents (especially my mum) don't believe it and think it's just an excuse for my mood or so I can get sympathy.
It's frustrating that they don't seem to understand that it's a real problem but then again, I refuse to tell them the severity.

Though, I've never encountered anyone on the internet who dismissed depression unless it was just some troll being an asshole.
At least here, people seem a little more understanding and sympathetic since they've often times encountered the same.
Much more difficult in real life for me, at least >.>

 

[Necator15]

I tend to ignore it if I don't know the person. I care a little more if I do.
I think a large part of why people tend to dismiss it on the internet is because of the growing fad of people self-diagnosing themselves with mental illness as an excuse for being socially inept. Although it's usually something other than depression that people say they have. Aspergers is a popular one.

 

[eggy32]

I've never been depressed but I know depression is a serious thing.
I do dismiss some people when they say they're depressed, like when a 12 year old gets dumped by his girlfriend and says he's depressed. That's usually not real depression.

 

[Korak the Mad]

My mom has depression. It's a clinical condition like any medical condition and can't be solved by just willing it away. That said its important who know who has clinical depression and who is just mopping.

My mother has depression as well, and since she also suffers from PTSD (from losing both of her parents and two close friends within the span of three years, also work didn't help), I believe that depression is a real medical problem.

 

[Madara XIII]

I suffer from clinical depression, and I have seen a lot of people dismiss depression on the internet. They say that depression is an excuse, or to "just get over it", but I know from experience that depression is very real and not easy to shake off. It seems to me people dismiss depression in order to protect themselves from it, and people that have encountered depression are more accepting of it.

Dear reader, what are your thoughts on this matter?

While I myself have experienced depression once in my life, I'm still stuck with paranoid personality disorder and it's kind of a sucky thing to have mostly because it leaves me uneasy and unstable at times. Emotionally it kind of leaves me horribly unfeeling...don't know why at times.

Concerning the main issue, I definitely recognize depression as a serious disorder and shouldn't be taken lightly. I hope that your depression is treatable and I pray for your condition.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

I think there is a lot of misconception of depression in the general public, especially of depression in young people as it can often get dismissed as teen angst or being over dramatic. I found this out myself a few years ago when I went through a period of severe depression. Thankfully that's mostly behind me now, and I never ever want to have to experience that again. Anyone that has to live every day with depression gets major respect from me because it must take some serious courage.

 

[Booze Zombie]

A lot of people simply can't deal with depression, that's why they've got to explain it away to themselves as something much more simple, but completly unrealistic.

 

[Broady Brio]

It exists, I believe that.

I however, don't suffer from this. Unless you count me with alcohol, but I think that's just me moping.

 

[Elsarild]

I had a 3 types of drepressions at the same time over span of 2 years, it was annoying, to put it lightly, but a physiatric help me past it ^^

 

[Zhadramekel]

I don't know for sure but I've been under the impression for a while that I have bipolar. Some times I'm completely normal, other times stepping in front of a bus, jumping off a bridge onto a motorway or slitting my wrists with a kitchen knife seem like genuinely appealing ideas. How can I dismiss depression?

 

[LuckyClover95]

76.5% have had depression?
I cannot believe this.... I think some of you might be getting depression muddled up with feeling depressed.

 

[tzimize]

76.5% have had depression?
I cannot believe this.... I think some of you might be getting depression muddled up with feeling depressed.

And what exactly is the difference? Doesnt depressed people feel depressed?

Having an actual chemical fault in the brain compared to just "having an off day" is something else...but its my guess that people with depression feel depressed

 

[krazykidd]

ive never had NOR known anybody who was depressive , but theres one thing i do know , In life you are the only one that is able to change your situation, i guess that falls into the 'get over it category' but its more than that , it's taking your life in your hands and getting into a situation where you are happy and no longer despressed. It may not be easy but no one will do it for you .

 

[Lionsfan]

...and I have seen a lot of people dismiss depression on the internet. They say that depression is an excuse, or to "just get over it"...

To be fair, I'm sure quite a lot of people on the Internet have self-diagnosed Depression. Same with Insomnia, Asperger's, ADD/ADHD, Bi-Polar, and Asexuality. Or they deal with people who are faking it, or overblow their minor issues[footnote]For instance; not being able to fall asleep for a couple days does not mean you're an insomniac[/footnote] and are jaded by their encounters with the posers. And these people who are faking/misdiagnosing themselves are the ones making it seem like a fad/non-issue compared to the people who are actually suffering through any of the clinical disorders/mental states.

That being said, I've never been depressed nor witnessed it up close and personal. My mom was for a bit after her mom died, but I don't really remember that since it was almost 10 years ago and I was little.

 

[Kenjitsuka]

Where's the option for "have been or am currently diagnosed with depression?".

 

[Elsarild]

ive never had NOR known anybody who was depressive , but theres one thing i do know , In life you are the only one that is able to change your situation, i guess that falls into the 'get over it category' but its more than that , it's taking your life in your hands and getting into a situation where you are happy and no longer despressed. It may not be easy but no one will do it for you .

No... just no... that's not true in any way. By your account physiatrists are hacks, so are doctors, surgeons and pretty much any form of help are just hacks and dosen't work?

Sorry but that is just a ridiculous statement.

 

[DonMartin]

I have cyclothymia, which is (as Stephen Fry, a sufferer of it himself, so elegantly put it) Bipolar Light. I am currently coming out of a depressive episode, or at least I hope so, so I'm answering this poll differently than I would two weeks from now or two weeks before now.

During depressive periods, I accept depression. It's so overwhelming I cant think of anything else, and I fully sympathize with anyone experiencing it. No matter which state I am in, however, I know how painful depression is and can be.

During "manic" (Cyclothymia doesnt get as manic as bipolar, hence the quotation marks) periods, though, I consider depression a thing of the past, something you can get through and ignore. I know, of course, how wrong I am, but I still think like that. I even laugh and am embarrassed with myself, thinking Ive wasted so much time being depressed.

So depending on when you ask, Ill give a different answer. But at least I am aware of that.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

76.5% have had depression?
I cannot believe this.... I think some of you might be getting depression muddled up with feeling depressed.

And what exactly is the difference? Doesnt depressed people feel depressed?

Having an actual chemical fault in the brain compared to just "having an off day" is something else...but its my guess that people with depression feel depressed

I believe the OP is referring to people who are clinically depressed. People who are predisposed to it due to chemical imbalances instead of "Man, these past few days have sucked!" or a relative dying.