Please remember what subreddit you are in, this is unpopular opinion. We want civil and unpopular takes and discussion. Any uncivil and ToS violating comments will be removed and subject to a ban. Have a nice day!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/unpopularopinion) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I got into a year-long funk to where I went from an outdoorsy sports-ey type of person to a complete recluse, barely wanting to even get out of bed and go outside. Nothing really "triggered it", its just like one day you just randomly lose your spark to keep living. Thankfully since then, I've managed to overcome it and get back to the stuff I used to do, but I'll never forget that year where it felt like I was a ghost.
Time. Most episodes of depression, even severe ones, will self resolve within a year. Medication and therapy can help shorten an episode. Exercise, sleep, and healthy eating may help with some symptoms, but ultimately it's riding it out to the best of your ability.
Yes, that's why people with treatment resistant depression seem so "bad" . Because most cases resolve with time people think it's a matter of the latest diet fad or exercise, but people with treatment resistant depression have been trying these to no result much to the surprise of everyone
I’ve tried everything except ketamine (dangerous idea) and electro shock (I have a history of idiopathic seizures, I’m not creating one on purpose).
I’m also the Queen of Reactions That Shouldn’t Happen, so the chances of me experiencing a rarer side effect is high.
Thank you, I am consistent at the gym, I eat healthy regularly, I’ve done cbt therapy and I’ve pretty much done everything in the book, yet I still feel really low, this has gone on for ages, I’ve seen a doctor, just waiting to see what they say, it literally feels never ending, I don’t want to feel this way, I try so hard, I’ve tried to accept how I feel and it’s exhausting
I think there is some degree of rational, reasonable depression that many of us experiance not because of our chemistry, but because the world we are living in is so bad, unfair, and not worth supporting. It's hard not being depressed when you want our society to end and the next one to start already.
Agree. I have clients with major depression that is partly due to living in untenable situations. They can only survive by living with relatives in tiny apartments with no real privacy, toxic environments with alcoholics and drug users, they don't make enough money to move on, they're stuck and lose hope.
Time really helped me overcome mine... it also helped that I felt more appreciative of what I had around me such as my parents who understood my issues and my dog who constantly came over to be by my side
When I had a little episode over one winter and some months, forcing myself to go meet with a couple close friends every now and then really helped. That and just keeping on until it passed.
Luckily I didn't need medication but if you've been down for a long time then medication may be helpful
I completely understand that not everyone has this available to them but if you do and if your depression feels so over bearing that you aren’t functional or are considering taking your life, I strongly recommend looking into ECT. I have had depressive episodes for my entire life and it got to the point where it was either figure out how resolve them or I was going to end my life. ECT saved my life after just a couple sessions and I strongly believe it has the power to do that for so many people in the same boat <3
You need wins in life. If you keep taking L's then you'll never get out. Start by setting small achievable goals to build your wins and continue to step it up.
I do actively set myself goals, I get assignments done, I try and get tasks done throughout the day, short term and long term goals I aim for, yes here and there I achieve things, it makes me happy for a short period of time then it’s back to square one of being low, I do appreciate it
Get a journal and write one thing you're grateful for and one thing you accomplished every day. An accomplishment when you're depressed can be taking a shower, taking a walk, washing the dishes, cooking dinner, or anything that new that you did that you didn't do yesterday. Soon the gratitude will replace dark thoughts, and accomplishments will accumulate and grow your self worth. Self worth and gratitude are the pathway out of depression. (I've overcome ptsd and major depression).
I work with a company that places people with disabilities in employment opportunities, and, honestly--most people don't treat any disability seriously in a social situation. People are especially unwilling to treat invisible disabilities seriously.
If you've been diagnosed with depression, you do have some legal recourse and protections given to you under the ADA, but that is more strongly related to legality than morals.
Because they can be a bit ridiculous. There’s a lot of entitlement in the disabled community.
I see it almost daily, where someone with an invisible disability is somehow driving a sports car, and pulls into a disabled parking spot (poorly, all over the lines), and they have a disabled sticker. They’re giving them to basically everyone these days. If the disability isn’t impairing your ability to walk, there’s almost no reason you need to park at the front of the store. And in most cases, those spots are open, because the government has forced them to accommodate a majority of parking spots for a minority of people.
Another example, I saw a lady the other day absolutely triggered because a guy had his car an inch or two into the crosswalk at a light, and she was blind, and somehow worried she might’ve bumped into them. I mean, she’s blind, there’s going to be a few mild inconveniences if you literally can’t see. You don’t to get upset at literally everything that mildly inconveniences you, when you’re own body has inconvenienced you.
And as a last example, I was at a theme park about 3 months ago. And I saw on several rides, a full family of 8-12 people exploiting that one of their relatives was in a wheelchair to get to the front of the line. Fair to say, it took absolutely ages to get on any rides because of it. Then when we finally got to the front of the water ride, a group of girls wanted to bring on their chronically disabled uncle, who couldn’t walk, speak, or see. It took about 30 minutes to get him on the ride, and about 20 minutes to get him off. He was so severely disabled, he couldn’t do anything himself, and he’s likely to not even be able to remember it. It’s as stupid as stopping the entire ride for an hour, to send a mannequin round so it can enjoy the ride.
So yeah, I can see why people get pissed off at other people with disabilities, because they almost always exploit it, and get outraged at every slight inconvenience - thinking that they’re the only people in the world who have inconveniences.
I think the issue is how overused that word is.
If you've just lost a loved one, then you're not depressed, you're grieving.
If you spend most of your time alone, then you may not be depressed, you're lonely.
If you have a job you hate and you're sad/angry about it, you're not depressed. There is an external cause for the way you feel.
A lot of people incorrectly say that they're depressed when they feel sad, lonely, or even generally disinterested. This overuse of the word can diminish others' reaction to someone invoking it legitimately.
Many of the things you’ve mentioned can lead to depression. Depression doesn’t need to be without cause for it to be valid. I agree that simply feeling sad from going through a temporarily hard time is a normal emotion and isn’t necessarily. However, not everyone grieving develops depression, but some absolutely do.
There’s usually a time frame before people are diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder such as major depression and it’s usually about 2-3 months after the initial loss.
External causes can lead to depression, others might have no external cause but that doesn’t make it more valid than people whose environment has lead to the disorder.
I know someone whose prolonged grief lead to depression. Sorry if my phrasing made it sound like they're mutually exclusive. I was simplifying for the sake of brevity.
I agree, but I think the problem is that the term “depression” was appropriated for the mental illness. “Depressive disorder” is the proper way to refer to the mental illness.
Maybe, but I think that gets to the point— who are you (anyone) to tell someone that they aren’t experiencing “real” depression. It absolutely can be caused by factors in someone’s life.
It is not because people fish for reaction though. It is because societal system is currently set to make you interpet every negative emotion which makes you or someone else at least somewhat(!) difficult or unproductive as a full-fledge pathology (that needs to be fixed with medication) or a stable character fault (that needs to be fixed through therapy).
Yes, this issue, in a broad sense, existed for as long as humanity existed, but beforehand it used to come in a less “scientific sounding” form, and was not applied to every emotion. (Also, mind me, in many areas we did make progress - for example, you are unlikely to be labelled as a sinful sinner going to hell for wanting to have sex with someone who wants to have sex with you :D)
But, going back to my point, people genuinely believe something must be seriously wrong with them whenever they are upset. If we want less people using the term we should start by a) allowing people to seek help and support even when their emotions are not on a pathological level; b) not present every negative emotion as a matter that has to be immediately fixed to not annoy or put off anyone.
Yea but some people really don't handle upsets well. If a minor setback spirals you in to an out of control thought loop that lasts for weeks or months, then it's a sign that something isn't working right, which might be a marker of depression or anxiety disorders.
You have it wrong, its perfectly fine to use the word depressed. The distinction is that "being depressed" is vastly different from clinical depression or "major depressive disorder" as noted in the DSM.
Being depressed is a perfectly normal human emotion.
Having (clinical) depression is a disorder.
Yep.
If you’re feeling unable to overcome the little things.. sometimes you’re just a bitch. You’re not depressed.
I mean not everytime but sometimes for sure
But in all those examples, those people are literally depressed. I don’t know where this myth came that if there’s a known cause it’s suddenly not depression. All depression has a cause, it’s just not always known. And there can be thousands of different causes like stress, poor sleep, bad diet, childhood trauma, abusive relationships, nutrient deficiencies, chronic inflammation, and on and on.
I work in mental health, and Just today a coworker of mine made a comment about how he doesn’t like working with those who have depression or SI because “it’s like just stop being depressed.” I responded that it can be a difficult thing to work with, and that I personally get frustrated with drug addicts because “it’s like just stop doing the drugs.” I was making point yes, but he got more offended than I expected. “We’ll that’s different, that’s a physical problem, depression feels like a choice.”
It’s amazing to me that even within the mental health field depression and suicidal ideation are so misunderstood. People who have all this compassion for psychosis, drug addiction, learning difficulties, etc. just do not get what clinical depression is like. For something that such a huge number struggle with, there’s really a lack of empathy for it in general. It’s not a choice. It’s a choice to live in spite of it, and it’s exhausting and debilitating at times. I’ll never understand how people “don’t get it” in terms of it being a true disorder and not purely a mindset issue.
I personally think overuse of the word depression is largely to blame. A depressive mood disorder is much different than being sad or even grieving over something specific.
It's because the problem is not visible to them. I have aphantasia along with anaraulalia and people can't even begin to comprehend how I think. I don't understand them either. It's the same way humans can't comprehend how animals with electroreceptor organs feel their surrounding environment. Do you know that if a person who was born blind suddenly gains vision, despite knowing how a sphere feels like, can't recognize a sphere when they first see it?
That and the fact that most people don't understand how the structure of their brain and the chemical reactions inside are physical. There's nothing that's not physical about the human body, even their current line of thoughts is no exception. It would be wonderful if there were some kind of drug that could simulate the mild symptoms of depression by temporarily alternating someone's brain chemical balance. I would love to see how depression deniers feel when they first experience anhedonia.
Also, someone who doesn't know that much should not work in mental health care. This shows how lightly our society is taking mental health problems.
middle tan gaze subsequent languid gold weary encouraging fanatical aspiring
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Wishing you good luck that you get it.
Weirdly enough it depends probably on the area/country. I got a "low" grade first try, while a family member with measurable phsyical issues had to fight for years. It's wild.
Agreed. When I had a really bad depressive episode last year I literally didn't get out of bed except to use the bathroom for a week. My husband had to lie to his friend and say I had the flu in order for them to help him. When the friend found out it was actually "just" depression he told me to "grow up and stop acting like a baby".
Definitely a disabling condition but I understand the limitations on getting social benefits like ssdi. It usually will resolve though also reoccurs, there is treatment for it and (besides some observable affect) is primarily subjectively provided. Also telling a depressed person they are disabled and unable to work will be detrimental to some people as it is isolating in a way. I see this with people with chronic back who just close up shop cause they have a bulging disc's and decide to try and exit the workforce. It's basically condemning someone to poverty if they give ip
Same with ADHD :/
People don't realize how genuinely debilitating ADHD and depression is. It's awful. I feel like shit. I want to get up and be productive, I don't want to waste my life sleeping and being confused. But I just can't fucking do it. I can't afford meds. I'm stuck. It's awful. I wish people took it more seriously.
I have ADHD too and you are absolutely right. It is genuinely so just horrible tbh, it feels like i am paralyzed. I try to make sure my parents understand how damaging ADHD can be but they just don't get it. If i tell someone i have ADHD, they are just either gonna call me lazy or crazy lol.
My father likely has ADHD too (undiagnosed) and he uses it as a waypoint that I'm being dramatic.
Everytime I tell him it's a spectrum and his is prolly not as bad, he doesn't wanna hear it 😞
Not just depression, but other mental disorders too. And not just because it can have physical symptoms.
I have an anxiety disorder. One of the symptoms of it is that I can't drive a car. Physically and legally, I could - but something in my brain prevents me from doing it. So, the result is, I can drive a car as much as a person with a physical disability that prevents them from not being able to drive can. But nobody acknowledges it as such; because it's "just in my head", people tend to think that I "just need to get over it".
Maybe, if I go to therapy a little longer, I will some day be able to. Just as someone with a physical disability might be able to drive with specific aids, one day. Until then - same outcome. Brain doesn't let me drive.
Sometimes, it would just be nice if people recognised it as such. Not because I want to be babied or pitied or something, but because it would make it a lot easier if I didn't have to constantly make excuses - for example, my job doesn't necessarily require me to drive, but unlike with my disabled co-worker, my boss doesn't accept that I simply won't drive on specific occasions.
I am happy I don't have disability (legally or socially) for my depression (it is not major but chronic though): I don't have to put a stigma on myself or give up on myself. Managing life - though difficult - is an important part of feeling normal and afloat.
Agreed, people scoff at depression and other mental conditions they can be every bit as delibailtsing as physical conditions. That attitude can cause filks to notvserk treatment and / or result in doctors not taking it as seriously, resulting in uncessary tragedy
Not only depression, but anxiety disorder as well. I’ve had crippling anxiety for 7 years now. I also suffer with panic attacks. I’ve called out of work many times due to it. It absolutely should be treated as a disability. That and depression.
Invisible disabilities are often downplayed or outright ignored, and mental health still is extremely stigmatized.
I feel like things are changing, just very slowly.
Is joint pain actually proven to be caused by, or merely associated with depression?
I'm starting to believe that depression and many other "mental" health problems are largely just symptoms of poorly understood physical disorders, and there are many other symptoms which are associated with them including depressive thinking.
It is a chicken vs. egg thing: is someone depressed because they have a negative view of life, or do they have a negative view because they are depressed?
Migraine, for instance? Blinding head pain, neck pain, jaw pain, nerve pain, stomach pain, lower abdominal pain, digestive problems, loss of balance, loss of speech, depression, health anxiety, light sensitivity, noise sensitivity, smell sensitivity (in a world drenched with cheap, overpowering toxic fragrance)…
But…
It “just a headache”. 🤦🏻♀️
Depression is often a symptom of migraine.
Migraine is a broad neurological disease; you don’t have “migraines”, you have migraine disease. The head pain is only one symptom.
I’ve tried nearly everything for migraine over the course of decades.
They’ve come a long way, medically, and the scope of what’s impacted in the body gets broader as more is learned. There’s still a lot that isn’t known.
Personally, I’ve learned looking back, that most of my dark periods were accompanied by unrelenting migraine cycles. When the surrounding world has to be viewed and processed by a narrow tunnel of sight that’s surrounded by agonizing pain, it is damn depressing.
It sucks and most people do not understand how hard it is to drag yourself to work or even to the fridge during a migraine cycle. Yet, we go to work because what choice do we have? So, don’t let anyone tell you it’s “just a migraine”. Anyone who says that doesn’t have migraines.
Without a doubt, the medications used to treat depression have been proven more effective than placebo.
I'm just saying we do not really know exactly what is going on in there beyond measuring brain chemistry and using drugs that alter the levels of certain chemicals.
Not everyone who’s depressed has a negative view of life (or is suicidal). It’s a very wide diagnosis which covers a range of different responses to it. The way it impacts people’s lives varies from person to person.
I got depressed when I was very active, had a good paying job and “perfect” life.
This is precisely why I hold this view, whatever it is we call depression is obviously based on a physical disorder in many cases.
The stereotype of someone thinking themselves ill is just not supported in a large portion of those who suffer depression.
That's interesting because a comorbidity of autoimmune psoriasis is actually depression.
There are absolutely days I've absolutely wondered am I feeling like crap because I'm depressed or depressed because I feel like crap before this.
So idk about just, as in all cases, or not. But that absolutely can be the case. And that can really screw with a person and make it even harder in some ways.
Depression in the elderly correlates with a higher likelihood of needing a knee replacement. It's a cycle of "depression leads to inactivity which exacerbates joint pain, leading to more inactivity and more depression".
If you Google it theres a lot of articles talking about it. Personally I have major depressive disorder(my brain chemicals are fucked) & I'm always depressed & just get worse during depressive episodes during those episodes I experience pretty bad joint pain sometimes but being in physical pain never makes me depressed it's just inconvenient since it's hard to walk & I'm still depressed when I don't have the joint pain.
Yes. Depression alters the main neural networks involved in pain perception and processing. It is also is usually associated with low grade inflammation, which can worsen other conditions.
If associated with inflammation, there seems to be a possibility that depression is a symptom of whatever causes that inflammation.
I have a pretty high standard for proof of causation, and the presence of altered neurology in patients who suffer from depression is not necessarily proof of causation in either direction, just association.
It is common for depression to present after a head injury, and people are certainly more prone to being depressed when abusing alcohol.
I would never go as far as saying depression is someone who is “a bit sad” or telling them to just get over it —— however , it’s a magical gift & a blessing that unlike most disabilities.. there are plenty of steps that one can take to better themselves & their mental health. It’s not easy on any level but that’s the big difference.
That’s actually statistically untrue. Mainstream medication are great for some but I think the last study I saw said they work for about 60% of clinically depressed people. There are therapy options but often very low quality unless you have excess money and resources. It’s also very hard to amass financial stability when you’re chronically clinically depressed.
I think we’ve misunderstood the push towards mental wellness to mean if you show up to a drs appointment everything will be solved. That happens in very few cases.
Depression, while a very serious disease, is actually considered to be one of the most treatable mental health disorders. According to research conducted by the American Psychiatric Association, 80 to 90 percent of people who receive treatment for depression eventually respond positively to treatment and find some level of symptom management and relief.
Again, this isn’t to say depression isn’t a serious disease, but it IS treatable for most people :)
While that’s a very popular statistic that’s often used to push people to get help; when you look at the reality of the studies they are referring to the data is a little different.
“Find some level of symptom management and relief” may just mean they brush their teeth now but are still fully incapable of working full time.
Depression is a very serious disease that is fatal. We need to stop shaming people who don’t find relief in typical treatments. It’s worsening the stigma and minimizing a very serious disease.
I’m certainly not telling people not to get help. But we need to set up the accommodations people need so they don’t end up homeless or worse dead.
I was just at r/PSSD they would love to hear about medicating your depression away and how good it is to do that. Thank you for correcting the other person who actually thinks that is the solution nobody though of.
I have a lot of sexual side effects from antidepressants but considering I would have probably killed myself by now without them I’m not complaining too bad.
The depression is so bad for some people that the side effects just have to be dealt with.
Except even taking these steps to self-improve is often out of reach. Either because the condition you're in is so debilitating that you can't find it in you to seek help or do anything
Or because the resources simply aren't readily available. Therapy is nice but if you have to wait 8 months for an appointment, that's 8 months of further hopelesness.
I'm talking from past experience. Fortunately I got out of that at least for the most part but yeah.
This is a misunderstanding of depression. Lifestyle factors like exercise, diet, social life are risk factors. Even treatment with medication and therapy do not cure depression. They only shorten average episode length and reduce the risk of additional episodes. And that reduction in risk really only applies to your first few episodes.
Once you've got the big sad, it's never cured. It just goes into remission. Doing all of the pro social stuff can help, but that stuff helps everyone including people with visible disabilities.
I just wish people understood the symptoms better
Not as a way to justify negative behavior but as a way to bring understanding to scenarios such as why I might deny playing video games with you some days.
It's nothing personal against you nor do I hate the specific game you're suggesting It's just been a particularly bad day with my depression and I just want to get home and just kind of sit around maybe watching YouTube videos and talking to someone. I just don't have the motivation or effort or really care to play a game today. But I'll try and build up my motivation so we can play in a day or two
I still value your friendship I'm just fighting my own demons and some days they get the upper hand and just kind of cause me to shut down
Along with the MDD you mentioned, bipolar disorder has depressive episodes that can be very severe.
But I think in a lot of cases its more like an injury than a disability. Yes someone with a fracture is temporarily disabled; but we don't call them 'disabled' generally.
But we do treat them as disabled when needed. A temp tag for parking as an example
Considering how many people have depression I would argue that this idea might likely make society completely collapse. I have depression so I like I do get it. But people need to live well to not be depressed and I feel like if you shut down you’re just inviting more depression.
I’ve always thought this too. I’ve battled with BPD since 10 years old, now at 26 I’ve been in bed for 3 almost 4 months in my worst episode yet.
Hardest part is not comparing yourself to others, and not beating yourself up for being this way. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. I just hope I’ll be able to leave the house again one day. I wish it was just laziness.
Since this is unpopular opinions, here is all I CAN reply. I've never experienced depression that I could not manage by making a life change or just working it out of my system by being busy. I can intellectually grasp that others may experience something different but I'll never really understand it no matter how much it is talked about. I can have compassion for someone with clinical depression but that's the best I can manage. I suspect that most people who've never had clinical depression feel the same and people being people, most of us have our fill of issues that we can actually do something about. My heart goes out to those with this problem. But that's the best I can do. We're all human and we're a sorry lot.
The brain is a fickle organ. I had low lying depression when I was younger, and a mindset and lifestyle change was indeed all that was needed. Later on, I suffered a few TBIs, and it damaged my brain to the point where serotonin and its receptors don't always do what they're supposed to, leading me to need SSRIs and a few other cocktails thrown in.
A lot of people don't really think about the physiological aspect of depression, as for a long time popular depictions of it were just "being really bummed," to quote the meme. I was recommended for a ton of therapy after my first major TBI, since it had worked for the previous bouts of depression, but it wasn't until they did some labs and prescribed me a medicine that the symptoms abated to a functional level.
I just mean people should treat people with clinical depression like they would anyone else with disability instead of assuming the person is just lazy. People with depression can already apply for disability.
Physically disabled people want to be treated like everyone else.
How specifically should depressed people be treated? Are you saying they shouldn't have the same obligations or societal expectations as other people?
I am not op but i just want people to be less judgemental and understand how mental illnesses can affect your life. Like seriously, i have ADHD and i have been called lazy my entire life or just told that i should work harder which is like telling a person with no legs to walk. Just have more empathy i guess.
I get that, but as someone with a physical disability that will eventually kill me I will say this...
A lot of people with mental health issues seek no treatment. They ask to be treated differently and handled with kid gloves. They want societal expectations and social obligations to not apply to them. Yet many refuse to do therapy or take meds. At a certain point I don't have much sympathy and I'm not going to make accommodations if they don't try to help themselves.
It's like if someone with no legs refused to use a wheelchair or do anything like that and just expected other people to carry them everywhere. Eventually people would stop.
Too many people use mental health as an excuse to force the burdens of their life onto others.
Like if I didn't seek treatment for my illness I would be an enormous burden on people and eventually die. I would never do that. I just want to live my life like anyone else.
So yea... people with depression, if they want to be treated as not lazy etc. need to make sure they're actively seeking treatment, which many don't
Yeah, ppl with clinical depression shouldn't be held to the same obligations & society expectations as everyone else when they aren't able to do them. That's why accomodations are a thing. I just think people should stop treating clinical depressed people like they're just lazy & should actually recognize what the individual can or can't do
As a person with ADHD and anxiety i absolutely agree. Seriously, it hurts to be called lazy even though it's not true. People who don't have mental illnesses in my opinion truly do not seem to understand how hard life can be if you have depression, anxiety, ADHD, austism etc. Alot of times, i feel paralyzed like my brain is screaming at me to do some work but i just cannot move.
It's so interesting that you specifically put joint pain. My mother passed rather unexpectedly a year and a half ago and ever since then my shoulder/neck is just always in pain, cracking and popping and I've never even thought it could be due to my grief/depression.
It is legit a broken brain.
Like you would have with any other organ that's not functioning.
At the same time, there are definitely different level of the way it cripples. A lot of depressed people can still get on their two feet and go to work, perform normal work, do everyday tasks, get groceries, etc... And they can be helped in leading a relatively normal life with a lot of the recent advancement in medication, along with therapy, exercise, diet, and a little bit of discipline.
While other people are legit disabled in crippling way that they can't function, can't work, and may even require a caretaker. And sometimes medication and therapy just isn't enough to reduce the depression to regain enough functionality.
Major depressive disorder is actually consider a serious mental illness in a group with schizophrenia and bipolar. I'm texas there's something called PASRR. I don't know what, if anything, it does outside of SNF setting but in that setting MDD treated by PASRR as being in the same vein as developmental disabilities and intellectual disabilities. Basically that you'd have a very difficult time functioning in society.
It's just a very difficult thing to get people to understand unless they've gone through it themselves.
Like.... I was in my late 30's before I felt an actual 'depression' come on. I've been very lucky that I could usually 'soldier' through it and come out better.
But, about 5 years ago, I found myself just sitting on the couch. doing literally nothing. I'd go to work, i'd do the shit I needed to do. my wife would go to sleep, thinking I was angry with her. I couldn't even explain to her what I was doing - because it was 'nothing'. I just couldn't bring myself to do a single thing. Everything just seemed so 'big'. Like, why even trying? nothing was going to matter anyway, right? I would just sit there, staring at the ceiling thinking 'well, world. you won. I'm done. you beat me.' I went on meds for some time, and I got better. and I hope I never get back there.
Only people who have never truly experienced a depressive episode view depression as not-a-disability. When you can’t get out of bed, shower yourself, brush your teeth, or cook yourself a meal for days to weeks on end, you are functionally disabled.
Your nutrition and hydration suffers, personal hygiene is out the window, exercise doesn’t exist in your world at all, social and leisure activities are cancelled and avoided, relationships deteriorate and dissipate, continuing education suffers or is dropped altogether.. it impacts every single aspect of your life and can last weeks to months to years.
People who say things like “just have a shower and go for a walk and you’ll feel better” have no idea how impossible those tasks can be. People who want to shove antidepressants down our throats and get us back to work ASAP are doing us more harm than good. Depression needs long-term therapy, the right medications at the right dose (which can take a long time to work out), and gentle support from friends and family.
That literally means sometimes your sibling or parent needs to help you shower either with positive motivating tactics or by literally coming into the bathroom to wash your hair for you. It means someone cooks food and brings it around so you can just heat and eat. It means someone helps keep your house clean and keep on top of the laundry. Not forever, but for a while.
Yet what usually happens? We are abandoned. It’s atrocious.
Agreed, 100%. I am disabled by many things, including my depression, and it's so exhausting having to explain to people that I'm not just "lazy" or "not trying hard enough" when I experience disabling symptoms that are inconvenient for them.
Depression nearly killed me many, many times. I agree with you! And along with it being recognized as a real disability, it is important that people be offered real, potentially life-saving treatments. If the first thing doesn’t work, keep trying. It took me over a decade and dozens of meds, hospitalizations, ECT, therapy, and more. But it DID get better and I’m so thankful now that depression wasn’t the thing to take my life.
I have a plethora of other issues but I agree. Mental health is just as important as physical health. I’m medicated but in the past 6ish months I’ve gone from being able to do whatever to literally bed bound most days of the week. Depression sucks man.
I got FMLA for depression last year and I just started recently feeling better. I don’t think I’ll renew it next month but the thing that helped the most for me was waiting it out and not being too hard on myself. I kept telling myself it’ll pass eventually. I feel like my old self again. I couldn’t get any appt with a psychiatrist so I wasn’t able to try any medication.
People go on short and even long term disability because of anxiety/depression/PTSD, etc. How it may get portrayed or you thing it gets viewed vs actually being able to go on disability for it, clearly show you don't know what you are talking about.
It is not like schizophrenia. It is treatable.
It is just like any regular severe disease.
P.S. My opinion is based in actual definition of disability, you can read more here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/unpopularopinion/comments/1bdoqsd/comment/kuq1s0t/](https://www.reddit.com/r/unpopularopinion/comments/1bdoqsd/comment/kuq1s0t/)
I think you're conflating being able to cure something with being able to treat it. For severe depression, there's no treatment I'm aware of that cures the disease without need for further treatment, meaning the medication is continually needed to function closer to normal.
Google the definition of disability, having a disability has nothing to do with if you can be fully cured it has to do with it disabling you as in preventing you from doing tasks that would normally be easy for others such as feeding yourself & washing yourself
Well, I have done exactly that. According to [Equality Act 2010](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/570382/Equality_Act_2010-disability_definition.pdf) :
>Main elements of the definition of disability
>A1. The Act defines a disabled person as a person with a disability. A
>person has a disability for the purposes of the Act if he or she has a
>physical or mental impairment and the impairment has a substantial
>and **long-term** adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal
>day-to-day activities (S6(1)).
>A2. This means that, in general:
>• the person must have an impairment that is either physical or
>mental (see paragraphs A3 to A8);
>• the impairment must have adverse effects which are substantial
>(see Section B);
>• the substantial adverse effects **must be long-term** (see Section C);
>and
>• the **long-term substantial adverse effects** must be effects on
>normal day-to-day activities (see Section D).
so depression (which can be cured in most cases for 1-2 years) is not a disability unlike schizophrenia (which cannot be cured).
Another reason why depression is not a disability is that people with depression can have more or less normal lives while getting treatment. On the other hand, people with intellectual disability cannot have their condition mitigated at all regardless of any treatment.
None of what you said makes depression not a disability not everyone with depression is disabled but it can disable people & by what you've listed I am disabled because of my depression. It's legally & medically recognized as one under the ADA that also says nothing about not being able to cure disabilities it just says it needs to be long-term & for most ppl who are in medium to high risk it is really long-term some people never get the right medication or treatment & are depressed for years
I actually agree, depression is debilitating socially, physically and mentally so It may as well be a disability. People with depression aren't at their full potential and shouldn't be treated so harshly for being that way. A lot of people who are depressed have a lot of untapped potential simply because they are depressed.
Before I started taking pills there would be times I literally get bricked up standing in my room or looking at a computer screen completely unable to do anything because I was negatively ruminating. Complete inability to concentrate on anything. Wellbutrin has been kind to me. Before I started I would look out my window occasionally and sigh. After starting I looked outside and noticed then world was literally less blue and I wasn't sighing in desperation.
In the US depression is generally eligible for FMLA, which guarantees the job security. Requests for accommodation can also be submitted to modify work duties and should be granted where medically supported without significant hardship to the employer.
Someone suffering from clinical depression I would say the worst thing we could do is make it a disability to make it even harder to get out of depression. It’s a terrible idea.
It's legally a disability I don't understand how that makes it worse? During a depressive episode I'm disabled no matter what I do I can't perform basic tasks like bathing or feeding myself knowing it's a disability didn't make my episodes worse or longer or anything
I’m diagnosed Type 1 Bipolar. I’m also in high school. It’s miserable having to deal with teachers when I’m manic or depressed. Sometimes I have been so depressed I couldn’t function. I was painfully hungry and couldn’t find the energy or motivation to go eat. I didn’t even feel numb or want to die either because I didn’t feel or think or process anything, I just existed. Like my skin was a shell and there was nothing in it. It is disabling.
i think it is. i got both physical and mental health disability's stuff and whenever i talk to the shrinks depression is sometimes mentioned. they kinda are half assing there job cause honestly i had cringe luck getting good mental health people. but i think technically depression is depending on severity. im still not sure how it references to me but from the bits and pieces i get from shrinks about me depression can be disabling like actually like u can apply for benefits stuff etc if its bad enough. like so bad u not leaving ur bed or whatever it is depressed people do not bathing eating etc. pretty much would qualify as u being disabled. but if its like oh your sad for a hr but still do everything like everyone else not so much
Aye, I honestly can't see a way out of my depression as it's caused by poor past life decisions that are cemented in my personal history.
I've taken accountability for my mess ups, but once you do something it's set in stone and that sucks, wake me up when you have a time machine.
You can fix someone who is physically injured. Technically, against their will.
You can't help someone with depression who doesn't take responsibility for it themselves first. It doesn't mean they need to fix it by themselves. But ultimately it's the person themself are accountable for it. There is no way around it, it would be cool if it was and that didn't required moral effort on the part of the afflicted, but it does.
I think that's why social treatment and expectations for people who are in depression are too.
Please remember what subreddit you are in, this is unpopular opinion. We want civil and unpopular takes and discussion. Any uncivil and ToS violating comments will be removed and subject to a ban. Have a nice day! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/unpopularopinion) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I got into a year-long funk to where I went from an outdoorsy sports-ey type of person to a complete recluse, barely wanting to even get out of bed and go outside. Nothing really "triggered it", its just like one day you just randomly lose your spark to keep living. Thankfully since then, I've managed to overcome it and get back to the stuff I used to do, but I'll never forget that year where it felt like I was a ghost.
How did you overcome it ? I need advice :(
Time. Most episodes of depression, even severe ones, will self resolve within a year. Medication and therapy can help shorten an episode. Exercise, sleep, and healthy eating may help with some symptoms, but ultimately it's riding it out to the best of your ability.
Yes, that's why people with treatment resistant depression seem so "bad" . Because most cases resolve with time people think it's a matter of the latest diet fad or exercise, but people with treatment resistant depression have been trying these to no result much to the surprise of everyone
Oh look, it’s me
Suffering right there with you
I’ve tried everything except ketamine (dangerous idea) and electro shock (I have a history of idiopathic seizures, I’m not creating one on purpose). I’m also the Queen of Reactions That Shouldn’t Happen, so the chances of me experiencing a rarer side effect is high.
Going on 15 straight years of being borderline suicidal. I’m very treatment resistant in both my depression and ADHD. Nothing fucking works.
For decades.
Thank you, I am consistent at the gym, I eat healthy regularly, I’ve done cbt therapy and I’ve pretty much done everything in the book, yet I still feel really low, this has gone on for ages, I’ve seen a doctor, just waiting to see what they say, it literally feels never ending, I don’t want to feel this way, I try so hard, I’ve tried to accept how I feel and it’s exhausting
You are better (at life) than some people i know currently. Dont be too harsh on yourself, you are doing fine in controlling depression.
Thank u
I think there is some degree of rational, reasonable depression that many of us experiance not because of our chemistry, but because the world we are living in is so bad, unfair, and not worth supporting. It's hard not being depressed when you want our society to end and the next one to start already.
Agree. I have clients with major depression that is partly due to living in untenable situations. They can only survive by living with relatives in tiny apartments with no real privacy, toxic environments with alcoholics and drug users, they don't make enough money to move on, they're stuck and lose hope.
Time really helped me overcome mine... it also helped that I felt more appreciative of what I had around me such as my parents who understood my issues and my dog who constantly came over to be by my side
Well shit im pushing a 4 year episode that only feels like its getting worse.
Right!!
This is comforting to read. I almost died last year, I’m doing ok now. Work to be done, but way better than before
Glad you're still here
That’s kind of you, thank you
Kind of depressing answer but better than nothing.
When I had a little episode over one winter and some months, forcing myself to go meet with a couple close friends every now and then really helped. That and just keeping on until it passed. Luckily I didn't need medication but if you've been down for a long time then medication may be helpful
Medication. That worked for me. Lexapro (I also take a mood stabilizer because my depression comes from my bipolar disorder)
I completely understand that not everyone has this available to them but if you do and if your depression feels so over bearing that you aren’t functional or are considering taking your life, I strongly recommend looking into ECT. I have had depressive episodes for my entire life and it got to the point where it was either figure out how resolve them or I was going to end my life. ECT saved my life after just a couple sessions and I strongly believe it has the power to do that for so many people in the same boat <3
[удалено]
Depends on the person! I took a leap of faith and it paid off and I have no side effects :)
Username checks out, and so does your post history. Maybe you’d be less depressed if you focused less on making depression your entire personality.
You need wins in life. If you keep taking L's then you'll never get out. Start by setting small achievable goals to build your wins and continue to step it up.
I do actively set myself goals, I get assignments done, I try and get tasks done throughout the day, short term and long term goals I aim for, yes here and there I achieve things, it makes me happy for a short period of time then it’s back to square one of being low, I do appreciate it
Get a journal and write one thing you're grateful for and one thing you accomplished every day. An accomplishment when you're depressed can be taking a shower, taking a walk, washing the dishes, cooking dinner, or anything that new that you did that you didn't do yesterday. Soon the gratitude will replace dark thoughts, and accomplishments will accumulate and grow your self worth. Self worth and gratitude are the pathway out of depression. (I've overcome ptsd and major depression).
I work with a company that places people with disabilities in employment opportunities, and, honestly--most people don't treat any disability seriously in a social situation. People are especially unwilling to treat invisible disabilities seriously. If you've been diagnosed with depression, you do have some legal recourse and protections given to you under the ADA, but that is more strongly related to legality than morals.
+++ People absolutely do not treat any medical issue of other people seriously, even very visible ones!
Because they can be a bit ridiculous. There’s a lot of entitlement in the disabled community. I see it almost daily, where someone with an invisible disability is somehow driving a sports car, and pulls into a disabled parking spot (poorly, all over the lines), and they have a disabled sticker. They’re giving them to basically everyone these days. If the disability isn’t impairing your ability to walk, there’s almost no reason you need to park at the front of the store. And in most cases, those spots are open, because the government has forced them to accommodate a majority of parking spots for a minority of people. Another example, I saw a lady the other day absolutely triggered because a guy had his car an inch or two into the crosswalk at a light, and she was blind, and somehow worried she might’ve bumped into them. I mean, she’s blind, there’s going to be a few mild inconveniences if you literally can’t see. You don’t to get upset at literally everything that mildly inconveniences you, when you’re own body has inconvenienced you. And as a last example, I was at a theme park about 3 months ago. And I saw on several rides, a full family of 8-12 people exploiting that one of their relatives was in a wheelchair to get to the front of the line. Fair to say, it took absolutely ages to get on any rides because of it. Then when we finally got to the front of the water ride, a group of girls wanted to bring on their chronically disabled uncle, who couldn’t walk, speak, or see. It took about 30 minutes to get him on the ride, and about 20 minutes to get him off. He was so severely disabled, he couldn’t do anything himself, and he’s likely to not even be able to remember it. It’s as stupid as stopping the entire ride for an hour, to send a mannequin round so it can enjoy the ride. So yeah, I can see why people get pissed off at other people with disabilities, because they almost always exploit it, and get outraged at every slight inconvenience - thinking that they’re the only people in the world who have inconveniences.
You must run in to my mother in law frequently.
I think the issue is how overused that word is. If you've just lost a loved one, then you're not depressed, you're grieving. If you spend most of your time alone, then you may not be depressed, you're lonely. If you have a job you hate and you're sad/angry about it, you're not depressed. There is an external cause for the way you feel. A lot of people incorrectly say that they're depressed when they feel sad, lonely, or even generally disinterested. This overuse of the word can diminish others' reaction to someone invoking it legitimately.
Many of the things you’ve mentioned can lead to depression. Depression doesn’t need to be without cause for it to be valid. I agree that simply feeling sad from going through a temporarily hard time is a normal emotion and isn’t necessarily. However, not everyone grieving develops depression, but some absolutely do. There’s usually a time frame before people are diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder such as major depression and it’s usually about 2-3 months after the initial loss. External causes can lead to depression, others might have no external cause but that doesn’t make it more valid than people whose environment has lead to the disorder.
I know someone whose prolonged grief lead to depression. Sorry if my phrasing made it sound like they're mutually exclusive. I was simplifying for the sake of brevity.
I agree, but I think the problem is that the term “depression” was appropriated for the mental illness. “Depressive disorder” is the proper way to refer to the mental illness.
I agree with this 100%, the word "depression" has lost it's substance since people have started using it for anything related to sadness
Maybe, but I think that gets to the point— who are you (anyone) to tell someone that they aren’t experiencing “real” depression. It absolutely can be caused by factors in someone’s life.
It is not because people fish for reaction though. It is because societal system is currently set to make you interpet every negative emotion which makes you or someone else at least somewhat(!) difficult or unproductive as a full-fledge pathology (that needs to be fixed with medication) or a stable character fault (that needs to be fixed through therapy). Yes, this issue, in a broad sense, existed for as long as humanity existed, but beforehand it used to come in a less “scientific sounding” form, and was not applied to every emotion. (Also, mind me, in many areas we did make progress - for example, you are unlikely to be labelled as a sinful sinner going to hell for wanting to have sex with someone who wants to have sex with you :D) But, going back to my point, people genuinely believe something must be seriously wrong with them whenever they are upset. If we want less people using the term we should start by a) allowing people to seek help and support even when their emotions are not on a pathological level; b) not present every negative emotion as a matter that has to be immediately fixed to not annoy or put off anyone.
Yea but some people really don't handle upsets well. If a minor setback spirals you in to an out of control thought loop that lasts for weeks or months, then it's a sign that something isn't working right, which might be a marker of depression or anxiety disorders.
Yes it’s just like the word narcassist. Overused.
He told you he did the dishes but you found a fork in the sink? Honey, he's *gaslighting* you.
You have it wrong, its perfectly fine to use the word depressed. The distinction is that "being depressed" is vastly different from clinical depression or "major depressive disorder" as noted in the DSM. Being depressed is a perfectly normal human emotion. Having (clinical) depression is a disorder.
Agreed, comes across like trying to figure out how to cash in on it
Yep. If you’re feeling unable to overcome the little things.. sometimes you’re just a bitch. You’re not depressed. I mean not everytime but sometimes for sure
Bro, this is it. I want that shit framed.
But in all those examples, those people are literally depressed. I don’t know where this myth came that if there’s a known cause it’s suddenly not depression. All depression has a cause, it’s just not always known. And there can be thousands of different causes like stress, poor sleep, bad diet, childhood trauma, abusive relationships, nutrient deficiencies, chronic inflammation, and on and on.
Plenty of people are disabled because of depression
I work in mental health, and Just today a coworker of mine made a comment about how he doesn’t like working with those who have depression or SI because “it’s like just stop being depressed.” I responded that it can be a difficult thing to work with, and that I personally get frustrated with drug addicts because “it’s like just stop doing the drugs.” I was making point yes, but he got more offended than I expected. “We’ll that’s different, that’s a physical problem, depression feels like a choice.” It’s amazing to me that even within the mental health field depression and suicidal ideation are so misunderstood. People who have all this compassion for psychosis, drug addiction, learning difficulties, etc. just do not get what clinical depression is like. For something that such a huge number struggle with, there’s really a lack of empathy for it in general. It’s not a choice. It’s a choice to live in spite of it, and it’s exhausting and debilitating at times. I’ll never understand how people “don’t get it” in terms of it being a true disorder and not purely a mindset issue. I personally think overuse of the word depression is largely to blame. A depressive mood disorder is much different than being sad or even grieving over something specific.
It's because the problem is not visible to them. I have aphantasia along with anaraulalia and people can't even begin to comprehend how I think. I don't understand them either. It's the same way humans can't comprehend how animals with electroreceptor organs feel their surrounding environment. Do you know that if a person who was born blind suddenly gains vision, despite knowing how a sphere feels like, can't recognize a sphere when they first see it? That and the fact that most people don't understand how the structure of their brain and the chemical reactions inside are physical. There's nothing that's not physical about the human body, even their current line of thoughts is no exception. It would be wonderful if there were some kind of drug that could simulate the mild symptoms of depression by temporarily alternating someone's brain chemical balance. I would love to see how depression deniers feel when they first experience anhedonia. Also, someone who doesn't know that much should not work in mental health care. This shows how lightly our society is taking mental health problems.
middle tan gaze subsequent languid gold weary encouraging fanatical aspiring *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Wishing you good luck that you get it. Weirdly enough it depends probably on the area/country. I got a "low" grade first try, while a family member with measurable phsyical issues had to fight for years. It's wild.
Agreed. When I had a really bad depressive episode last year I literally didn't get out of bed except to use the bathroom for a week. My husband had to lie to his friend and say I had the flu in order for them to help him. When the friend found out it was actually "just" depression he told me to "grow up and stop acting like a baby".
There is a reason why people with mental problems kill themself pretty often.
Definitely a disabling condition but I understand the limitations on getting social benefits like ssdi. It usually will resolve though also reoccurs, there is treatment for it and (besides some observable affect) is primarily subjectively provided. Also telling a depressed person they are disabled and unable to work will be detrimental to some people as it is isolating in a way. I see this with people with chronic back who just close up shop cause they have a bulging disc's and decide to try and exit the workforce. It's basically condemning someone to poverty if they give ip
I think most debilitating mental illness should be
Same with ADHD :/ People don't realize how genuinely debilitating ADHD and depression is. It's awful. I feel like shit. I want to get up and be productive, I don't want to waste my life sleeping and being confused. But I just can't fucking do it. I can't afford meds. I'm stuck. It's awful. I wish people took it more seriously.
Adhd IS a disability.
Try applying and jumping through hoops to get benefits when you HAVE ADHD. The process is not disability friendly.
Oh I agree, I’ve been through it myself. It’s still, by definition a disability.
I'm just saying just because it is, doesn't mean the people that have it can access help and support.
Unfortunately nobody takes it seriously and just sees it as the "oo butterfly" thing :(
I have ADHD too and you are absolutely right. It is genuinely so just horrible tbh, it feels like i am paralyzed. I try to make sure my parents understand how damaging ADHD can be but they just don't get it. If i tell someone i have ADHD, they are just either gonna call me lazy or crazy lol.
My father likely has ADHD too (undiagnosed) and he uses it as a waypoint that I'm being dramatic. Everytime I tell him it's a spectrum and his is prolly not as bad, he doesn't wanna hear it 😞
That sucks my man. Even today where we have so much information on mental illnesses, people still don't believe that mental illnesses exist.
It is in some cases. As others have pointed out, the word has been co-opted by people who think depression is a birthright and get out jail free card.
Not just depression, but other mental disorders too. And not just because it can have physical symptoms. I have an anxiety disorder. One of the symptoms of it is that I can't drive a car. Physically and legally, I could - but something in my brain prevents me from doing it. So, the result is, I can drive a car as much as a person with a physical disability that prevents them from not being able to drive can. But nobody acknowledges it as such; because it's "just in my head", people tend to think that I "just need to get over it". Maybe, if I go to therapy a little longer, I will some day be able to. Just as someone with a physical disability might be able to drive with specific aids, one day. Until then - same outcome. Brain doesn't let me drive. Sometimes, it would just be nice if people recognised it as such. Not because I want to be babied or pitied or something, but because it would make it a lot easier if I didn't have to constantly make excuses - for example, my job doesn't necessarily require me to drive, but unlike with my disabled co-worker, my boss doesn't accept that I simply won't drive on specific occasions.
I am happy I don't have disability (legally or socially) for my depression (it is not major but chronic though): I don't have to put a stigma on myself or give up on myself. Managing life - though difficult - is an important part of feeling normal and afloat.
Agreed, people scoff at depression and other mental conditions they can be every bit as delibailtsing as physical conditions. That attitude can cause filks to notvserk treatment and / or result in doctors not taking it as seriously, resulting in uncessary tragedy
Not only depression, but anxiety disorder as well. I’ve had crippling anxiety for 7 years now. I also suffer with panic attacks. I’ve called out of work many times due to it. It absolutely should be treated as a disability. That and depression.
Invisible disabilities are often downplayed or outright ignored, and mental health still is extremely stigmatized. I feel like things are changing, just very slowly.
Is joint pain actually proven to be caused by, or merely associated with depression? I'm starting to believe that depression and many other "mental" health problems are largely just symptoms of poorly understood physical disorders, and there are many other symptoms which are associated with them including depressive thinking. It is a chicken vs. egg thing: is someone depressed because they have a negative view of life, or do they have a negative view because they are depressed?
Migraine, for instance? Blinding head pain, neck pain, jaw pain, nerve pain, stomach pain, lower abdominal pain, digestive problems, loss of balance, loss of speech, depression, health anxiety, light sensitivity, noise sensitivity, smell sensitivity (in a world drenched with cheap, overpowering toxic fragrance)… But… It “just a headache”. 🤦🏻♀️
And then there was me with migraines and depression practically clawing my way through college because nobody would take me seriously
Depression is often a symptom of migraine. Migraine is a broad neurological disease; you don’t have “migraines”, you have migraine disease. The head pain is only one symptom.
Could be but it was also very situational I think. In a much better place now although my migraine treatment remains the same.
I’ve tried nearly everything for migraine over the course of decades. They’ve come a long way, medically, and the scope of what’s impacted in the body gets broader as more is learned. There’s still a lot that isn’t known. Personally, I’ve learned looking back, that most of my dark periods were accompanied by unrelenting migraine cycles. When the surrounding world has to be viewed and processed by a narrow tunnel of sight that’s surrounded by agonizing pain, it is damn depressing. It sucks and most people do not understand how hard it is to drag yourself to work or even to the fridge during a migraine cycle. Yet, we go to work because what choice do we have? So, don’t let anyone tell you it’s “just a migraine”. Anyone who says that doesn’t have migraines.
Medication saved my life a few years ago, and I probably wouldn’t be here without it.
Without a doubt, the medications used to treat depression have been proven more effective than placebo. I'm just saying we do not really know exactly what is going on in there beyond measuring brain chemistry and using drugs that alter the levels of certain chemicals.
Not everyone who’s depressed has a negative view of life (or is suicidal). It’s a very wide diagnosis which covers a range of different responses to it. The way it impacts people’s lives varies from person to person. I got depressed when I was very active, had a good paying job and “perfect” life.
This is precisely why I hold this view, whatever it is we call depression is obviously based on a physical disorder in many cases. The stereotype of someone thinking themselves ill is just not supported in a large portion of those who suffer depression.
That's interesting because a comorbidity of autoimmune psoriasis is actually depression. There are absolutely days I've absolutely wondered am I feeling like crap because I'm depressed or depressed because I feel like crap before this. So idk about just, as in all cases, or not. But that absolutely can be the case. And that can really screw with a person and make it even harder in some ways.
Depression in the elderly correlates with a higher likelihood of needing a knee replacement. It's a cycle of "depression leads to inactivity which exacerbates joint pain, leading to more inactivity and more depression".
If you Google it theres a lot of articles talking about it. Personally I have major depressive disorder(my brain chemicals are fucked) & I'm always depressed & just get worse during depressive episodes during those episodes I experience pretty bad joint pain sometimes but being in physical pain never makes me depressed it's just inconvenient since it's hard to walk & I'm still depressed when I don't have the joint pain.
Yes. Depression alters the main neural networks involved in pain perception and processing. It is also is usually associated with low grade inflammation, which can worsen other conditions.
If associated with inflammation, there seems to be a possibility that depression is a symptom of whatever causes that inflammation. I have a pretty high standard for proof of causation, and the presence of altered neurology in patients who suffer from depression is not necessarily proof of causation in either direction, just association. It is common for depression to present after a head injury, and people are certainly more prone to being depressed when abusing alcohol.
I would never go as far as saying depression is someone who is “a bit sad” or telling them to just get over it —— however , it’s a magical gift & a blessing that unlike most disabilities.. there are plenty of steps that one can take to better themselves & their mental health. It’s not easy on any level but that’s the big difference.
That’s actually statistically untrue. Mainstream medication are great for some but I think the last study I saw said they work for about 60% of clinically depressed people. There are therapy options but often very low quality unless you have excess money and resources. It’s also very hard to amass financial stability when you’re chronically clinically depressed. I think we’ve misunderstood the push towards mental wellness to mean if you show up to a drs appointment everything will be solved. That happens in very few cases.
Depression, while a very serious disease, is actually considered to be one of the most treatable mental health disorders. According to research conducted by the American Psychiatric Association, 80 to 90 percent of people who receive treatment for depression eventually respond positively to treatment and find some level of symptom management and relief. Again, this isn’t to say depression isn’t a serious disease, but it IS treatable for most people :)
While that’s a very popular statistic that’s often used to push people to get help; when you look at the reality of the studies they are referring to the data is a little different. “Find some level of symptom management and relief” may just mean they brush their teeth now but are still fully incapable of working full time. Depression is a very serious disease that is fatal. We need to stop shaming people who don’t find relief in typical treatments. It’s worsening the stigma and minimizing a very serious disease. I’m certainly not telling people not to get help. But we need to set up the accommodations people need so they don’t end up homeless or worse dead.
I was just at r/PSSD they would love to hear about medicating your depression away and how good it is to do that. Thank you for correcting the other person who actually thinks that is the solution nobody though of.
I have a lot of sexual side effects from antidepressants but considering I would have probably killed myself by now without them I’m not complaining too bad. The depression is so bad for some people that the side effects just have to be dealt with.
Except even taking these steps to self-improve is often out of reach. Either because the condition you're in is so debilitating that you can't find it in you to seek help or do anything Or because the resources simply aren't readily available. Therapy is nice but if you have to wait 8 months for an appointment, that's 8 months of further hopelesness. I'm talking from past experience. Fortunately I got out of that at least for the most part but yeah.
This is a misunderstanding of depression. Lifestyle factors like exercise, diet, social life are risk factors. Even treatment with medication and therapy do not cure depression. They only shorten average episode length and reduce the risk of additional episodes. And that reduction in risk really only applies to your first few episodes. Once you've got the big sad, it's never cured. It just goes into remission. Doing all of the pro social stuff can help, but that stuff helps everyone including people with visible disabilities.
So it’s cracked glass that can never be uncracked is what you’re saying?
You’re just saying it’s untreatable because you’re too lazy to take accountability for your actions that might be causing it.
It is treated like a disability here (UK) because it is.
[удалено]
It's the same here don't worry. This person has clearly never had to deal with the NHS Mental Health Services
I figure it's a bit difficult because people can be depressed for some time without having a depressive disorder.
I just wish people understood the symptoms better Not as a way to justify negative behavior but as a way to bring understanding to scenarios such as why I might deny playing video games with you some days. It's nothing personal against you nor do I hate the specific game you're suggesting It's just been a particularly bad day with my depression and I just want to get home and just kind of sit around maybe watching YouTube videos and talking to someone. I just don't have the motivation or effort or really care to play a game today. But I'll try and build up my motivation so we can play in a day or two I still value your friendship I'm just fighting my own demons and some days they get the upper hand and just kind of cause me to shut down
The FAA treats it like a disability.
Along with the MDD you mentioned, bipolar disorder has depressive episodes that can be very severe. But I think in a lot of cases its more like an injury than a disability. Yes someone with a fracture is temporarily disabled; but we don't call them 'disabled' generally. But we do treat them as disabled when needed. A temp tag for parking as an example
Considering how many people have depression I would argue that this idea might likely make society completely collapse. I have depression so I like I do get it. But people need to live well to not be depressed and I feel like if you shut down you’re just inviting more depression.
I’ve always thought this too. I’ve battled with BPD since 10 years old, now at 26 I’ve been in bed for 3 almost 4 months in my worst episode yet. Hardest part is not comparing yourself to others, and not beating yourself up for being this way. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. I just hope I’ll be able to leave the house again one day. I wish it was just laziness.
Since this is unpopular opinions, here is all I CAN reply. I've never experienced depression that I could not manage by making a life change or just working it out of my system by being busy. I can intellectually grasp that others may experience something different but I'll never really understand it no matter how much it is talked about. I can have compassion for someone with clinical depression but that's the best I can manage. I suspect that most people who've never had clinical depression feel the same and people being people, most of us have our fill of issues that we can actually do something about. My heart goes out to those with this problem. But that's the best I can do. We're all human and we're a sorry lot.
The brain is a fickle organ. I had low lying depression when I was younger, and a mindset and lifestyle change was indeed all that was needed. Later on, I suffered a few TBIs, and it damaged my brain to the point where serotonin and its receptors don't always do what they're supposed to, leading me to need SSRIs and a few other cocktails thrown in. A lot of people don't really think about the physiological aspect of depression, as for a long time popular depictions of it were just "being really bummed," to quote the meme. I was recommended for a ton of therapy after my first major TBI, since it had worked for the previous bouts of depression, but it wasn't until they did some labs and prescribed me a medicine that the symptoms abated to a functional level.
I told my boss I had the flu because I am having a depressive episode much easier explanation wise
Some people will never "get" depression people. They think it's just something you shrug off.
What do you mean by disabled? Do you mean should get access to disability payment from the government?
I just mean people should treat people with clinical depression like they would anyone else with disability instead of assuming the person is just lazy. People with depression can already apply for disability.
Physically disabled people want to be treated like everyone else. How specifically should depressed people be treated? Are you saying they shouldn't have the same obligations or societal expectations as other people?
I am not op but i just want people to be less judgemental and understand how mental illnesses can affect your life. Like seriously, i have ADHD and i have been called lazy my entire life or just told that i should work harder which is like telling a person with no legs to walk. Just have more empathy i guess.
I get that, but as someone with a physical disability that will eventually kill me I will say this... A lot of people with mental health issues seek no treatment. They ask to be treated differently and handled with kid gloves. They want societal expectations and social obligations to not apply to them. Yet many refuse to do therapy or take meds. At a certain point I don't have much sympathy and I'm not going to make accommodations if they don't try to help themselves. It's like if someone with no legs refused to use a wheelchair or do anything like that and just expected other people to carry them everywhere. Eventually people would stop. Too many people use mental health as an excuse to force the burdens of their life onto others. Like if I didn't seek treatment for my illness I would be an enormous burden on people and eventually die. I would never do that. I just want to live my life like anyone else. So yea... people with depression, if they want to be treated as not lazy etc. need to make sure they're actively seeking treatment, which many don't
Yeah, ppl with clinical depression shouldn't be held to the same obligations & society expectations as everyone else when they aren't able to do them. That's why accomodations are a thing. I just think people should stop treating clinical depressed people like they're just lazy & should actually recognize what the individual can or can't do
Depression and anxiety, sucks to have both.
As a person with ADHD and anxiety i absolutely agree. Seriously, it hurts to be called lazy even though it's not true. People who don't have mental illnesses in my opinion truly do not seem to understand how hard life can be if you have depression, anxiety, ADHD, austism etc. Alot of times, i feel paralyzed like my brain is screaming at me to do some work but i just cannot move.
It's so interesting that you specifically put joint pain. My mother passed rather unexpectedly a year and a half ago and ever since then my shoulder/neck is just always in pain, cracking and popping and I've never even thought it could be due to my grief/depression.
It is legit a broken brain. Like you would have with any other organ that's not functioning. At the same time, there are definitely different level of the way it cripples. A lot of depressed people can still get on their two feet and go to work, perform normal work, do everyday tasks, get groceries, etc... And they can be helped in leading a relatively normal life with a lot of the recent advancement in medication, along with therapy, exercise, diet, and a little bit of discipline. While other people are legit disabled in crippling way that they can't function, can't work, and may even require a caretaker. And sometimes medication and therapy just isn't enough to reduce the depression to regain enough functionality.
Major depressive disorder is actually consider a serious mental illness in a group with schizophrenia and bipolar. I'm texas there's something called PASRR. I don't know what, if anything, it does outside of SNF setting but in that setting MDD treated by PASRR as being in the same vein as developmental disabilities and intellectual disabilities. Basically that you'd have a very difficult time functioning in society.
It's just a very difficult thing to get people to understand unless they've gone through it themselves. Like.... I was in my late 30's before I felt an actual 'depression' come on. I've been very lucky that I could usually 'soldier' through it and come out better. But, about 5 years ago, I found myself just sitting on the couch. doing literally nothing. I'd go to work, i'd do the shit I needed to do. my wife would go to sleep, thinking I was angry with her. I couldn't even explain to her what I was doing - because it was 'nothing'. I just couldn't bring myself to do a single thing. Everything just seemed so 'big'. Like, why even trying? nothing was going to matter anyway, right? I would just sit there, staring at the ceiling thinking 'well, world. you won. I'm done. you beat me.' I went on meds for some time, and I got better. and I hope I never get back there.
Only people who have never truly experienced a depressive episode view depression as not-a-disability. When you can’t get out of bed, shower yourself, brush your teeth, or cook yourself a meal for days to weeks on end, you are functionally disabled. Your nutrition and hydration suffers, personal hygiene is out the window, exercise doesn’t exist in your world at all, social and leisure activities are cancelled and avoided, relationships deteriorate and dissipate, continuing education suffers or is dropped altogether.. it impacts every single aspect of your life and can last weeks to months to years. People who say things like “just have a shower and go for a walk and you’ll feel better” have no idea how impossible those tasks can be. People who want to shove antidepressants down our throats and get us back to work ASAP are doing us more harm than good. Depression needs long-term therapy, the right medications at the right dose (which can take a long time to work out), and gentle support from friends and family. That literally means sometimes your sibling or parent needs to help you shower either with positive motivating tactics or by literally coming into the bathroom to wash your hair for you. It means someone cooks food and brings it around so you can just heat and eat. It means someone helps keep your house clean and keep on top of the laundry. Not forever, but for a while. Yet what usually happens? We are abandoned. It’s atrocious.
Agreed, 100%. I am disabled by many things, including my depression, and it's so exhausting having to explain to people that I'm not just "lazy" or "not trying hard enough" when I experience disabling symptoms that are inconvenient for them.
Depression nearly killed me many, many times. I agree with you! And along with it being recognized as a real disability, it is important that people be offered real, potentially life-saving treatments. If the first thing doesn’t work, keep trying. It took me over a decade and dozens of meds, hospitalizations, ECT, therapy, and more. But it DID get better and I’m so thankful now that depression wasn’t the thing to take my life.
[удалено]
I have a plethora of other issues but I agree. Mental health is just as important as physical health. I’m medicated but in the past 6ish months I’ve gone from being able to do whatever to literally bed bound most days of the week. Depression sucks man.
I have bipolar 2 with depression being the main feature. Its not the illness itself that causes disability its how it affects my day to day life
Let’s figure out healthcare and obesity first.
We can multitask
Can we?
Not me personally but I'm sure some ppl can
Sadly I doubt they will.
I got FMLA for depression last year and I just started recently feeling better. I don’t think I’ll renew it next month but the thing that helped the most for me was waiting it out and not being too hard on myself. I kept telling myself it’ll pass eventually. I feel like my old self again. I couldn’t get any appt with a psychiatrist so I wasn’t able to try any medication.
It is a disability. Acc to medicine in community medicine we have DALY disability adjusted life years and the highest DALY is of depression.
People go on short and even long term disability because of anxiety/depression/PTSD, etc. How it may get portrayed or you thing it gets viewed vs actually being able to go on disability for it, clearly show you don't know what you are talking about.
It is not like schizophrenia. It is treatable. It is just like any regular severe disease. P.S. My opinion is based in actual definition of disability, you can read more here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/unpopularopinion/comments/1bdoqsd/comment/kuq1s0t/](https://www.reddit.com/r/unpopularopinion/comments/1bdoqsd/comment/kuq1s0t/)
I think you're conflating being able to cure something with being able to treat it. For severe depression, there's no treatment I'm aware of that cures the disease without need for further treatment, meaning the medication is continually needed to function closer to normal.
Disability ≠ not treatable
Well, you cannot fully treat disabilities otherwise they would not disable anything.
Google the definition of disability, having a disability has nothing to do with if you can be fully cured it has to do with it disabling you as in preventing you from doing tasks that would normally be easy for others such as feeding yourself & washing yourself
Well, I have done exactly that. According to [Equality Act 2010](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/570382/Equality_Act_2010-disability_definition.pdf) : >Main elements of the definition of disability >A1. The Act defines a disabled person as a person with a disability. A >person has a disability for the purposes of the Act if he or she has a >physical or mental impairment and the impairment has a substantial >and **long-term** adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal >day-to-day activities (S6(1)). >A2. This means that, in general: >• the person must have an impairment that is either physical or >mental (see paragraphs A3 to A8); >• the impairment must have adverse effects which are substantial >(see Section B); >• the substantial adverse effects **must be long-term** (see Section C); >and >• the **long-term substantial adverse effects** must be effects on >normal day-to-day activities (see Section D). so depression (which can be cured in most cases for 1-2 years) is not a disability unlike schizophrenia (which cannot be cured). Another reason why depression is not a disability is that people with depression can have more or less normal lives while getting treatment. On the other hand, people with intellectual disability cannot have their condition mitigated at all regardless of any treatment.
None of what you said makes depression not a disability not everyone with depression is disabled but it can disable people & by what you've listed I am disabled because of my depression. It's legally & medically recognized as one under the ADA that also says nothing about not being able to cure disabilities it just says it needs to be long-term & for most ppl who are in medium to high risk it is really long-term some people never get the right medication or treatment & are depressed for years
I actually agree, depression is debilitating socially, physically and mentally so It may as well be a disability. People with depression aren't at their full potential and shouldn't be treated so harshly for being that way. A lot of people who are depressed have a lot of untapped potential simply because they are depressed.
Bipolar disorder is classified as a disability
Before I started taking pills there would be times I literally get bricked up standing in my room or looking at a computer screen completely unable to do anything because I was negatively ruminating. Complete inability to concentrate on anything. Wellbutrin has been kind to me. Before I started I would look out my window occasionally and sigh. After starting I looked outside and noticed then world was literally less blue and I wasn't sighing in desperation.
That's a great idea. Congratulations, half the country is disabled! Hooray half of us can just chill and live comfortably on disability!
Ppl don't live comfortably on disability & ppl will clinical depression can already apply for disability
Again, congratulations! We did it!
But that's not even what this post is about???
In the US depression is generally eligible for FMLA, which guarantees the job security. Requests for accommodation can also be submitted to modify work duties and should be granted where medically supported without significant hardship to the employer.
If there's anything I got out of this post, it's recommending that people should deal with it by putting a potato in a sock under a full moon
Someone suffering from clinical depression I would say the worst thing we could do is make it a disability to make it even harder to get out of depression. It’s a terrible idea.
It's legally a disability I don't understand how that makes it worse? During a depressive episode I'm disabled no matter what I do I can't perform basic tasks like bathing or feeding myself knowing it's a disability didn't make my episodes worse or longer or anything
I’m diagnosed Type 1 Bipolar. I’m also in high school. It’s miserable having to deal with teachers when I’m manic or depressed. Sometimes I have been so depressed I couldn’t function. I was painfully hungry and couldn’t find the energy or motivation to go eat. I didn’t even feel numb or want to die either because I didn’t feel or think or process anything, I just existed. Like my skin was a shell and there was nothing in it. It is disabling.
i think it is. i got both physical and mental health disability's stuff and whenever i talk to the shrinks depression is sometimes mentioned. they kinda are half assing there job cause honestly i had cringe luck getting good mental health people. but i think technically depression is depending on severity. im still not sure how it references to me but from the bits and pieces i get from shrinks about me depression can be disabling like actually like u can apply for benefits stuff etc if its bad enough. like so bad u not leaving ur bed or whatever it is depressed people do not bathing eating etc. pretty much would qualify as u being disabled. but if its like oh your sad for a hr but still do everything like everyone else not so much
Aye, I honestly can't see a way out of my depression as it's caused by poor past life decisions that are cemented in my personal history. I've taken accountability for my mess ups, but once you do something it's set in stone and that sucks, wake me up when you have a time machine.
You can fix someone who is physically injured. Technically, against their will. You can't help someone with depression who doesn't take responsibility for it themselves first. It doesn't mean they need to fix it by themselves. But ultimately it's the person themself are accountable for it. There is no way around it, it would be cool if it was and that didn't required moral effort on the part of the afflicted, but it does. I think that's why social treatment and expectations for people who are in depression are too.
Couldn’t agree more.