In the wake of the recent death of Robin Williams I thought it be a good thing to discuss the topic of depression.

Keep it civil folks.

http://depressionhurts.ca/en/checklist/

I think living in a society where some benefit from laws or customs more than others is depressing and it keeps you in a constant state of, "What if?" Inequality is depressing, love that's unreturned is depressing, seeing people struggle with inner turmoil is depressing as well.

I think of depression as one's mind being ill...just because it's not as visible as wound I think sometimes it is taken lightly when it shouldn't be. On the other hand, I also sometimes feel people are too quick to blame everything on "depression". Not every single person who decides to kill themselves, or acts irresponsibly actually suffer from major depression.

What intrigues me is how in some cases, people with this disorder acknowledge their mental state, and rty to seek ways to heal themselves. It's like even though their mind is sick, but there is a second mind or will power or whatever it is that drives them to want to get better. That's amazing to me.

I know unfortunately a lot of people may not have the time or financial ability to seek the most appropriate care. I feel bad for them.

depression is as deadlier as cancer if not properly treated

there are dozens of causes for depression; some ignorant-despicable people will keep mocking depressive persons, saying that they're "weak" or that "they worry too much", but it's by far more complicated than that:

(wikipedia)

Life events

Life events and changes that may precipitate depressed mood include childbirth, menopause, financial difficulties, job problems, a medical diagnosis (cancer, HIV, etc.), bullying, loss of a loved one, natural disasters, social isolation, relationship troubles, jealousy, separation, and catastrophic injury.^[3][4]

Traumatizing events that took place in childhood can cause depression. Although childhood trauma and particularly child sex abuse is not always a factor of adulthood depression, it may create psychological pathways that can lead to depression. Research has been done in this field to demonstrate the chemical involvements explaining this phenomenon^[5][6]

Unequal parental treatment is also a risk factor.^[7]

Medical treatments

Certain medications are known to cause depressed mood in a significant number of patients. These include interferon therapy for hepatitis C.^[8]

Non-psychiatric illnesses

Depressed mood can be the result of a number of infectious diseases, neurological conditions ^[9] and physiological problems including hypoandrogenism (in men), Addison's disease, Lyme disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, stroke,^[10] diabetes,^[11] cancer,^[12] sleep apnea, and disturbed circadian rhythm. It is often one of the early symptoms of hypothyroidism (reduced activity of the thyroid gland).

Psychiatric syndromes[edit]

A number of psychiatric syndromes feature depressed mood as a main symptom. The mood disorders are a group of disorders considered to be primary disturbances of mood. These include major depressive disorder (MDD; commonly called major depression or clinical depression) where a person has at least two weeks of depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in nearly all activities; and dysthymia, a state of chronic depressed mood, the symptoms of which do not meet the severity of a major depressive episode. Another mood disorder, bipolar disorder, features one or more episodes of abnormally elevated mood, cognition and energy levels, but may also involve one or more depressive episodes.^[13] When the course of depressive episodes follows a seasonal pattern, the disorder (major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, etc.) may be described as a seasonal affective disorder.

Outside the mood disorders: borderline personality disorder commonly features depressed mood; adjustment disorder with depressed mood is a mood disturbance appearing as a psychological response to an identifiable event or stressor, in which the resulting emotional or behavioral symptoms are significant but do not meet the criteria for a major depressive episode;^[14]:355 and posttraumatic stress disorder, an anxiety disorder that sometimes follows trauma, is commonly accompanied by depressed mood.^[15]

Drug use

Depression is associated with abusive drug use.^[16]

I hate that in a society where most things are now acceptable, mental illness and depression is still something that is hidden and routinely made fun of.

I don't know that it's made fun of, just poorly understood and not taken seriously. People are quick to say, "just get over it." As if it were that easy. I've seen a severely depressed person, weeping, begging for help, desperate to feel better. They hate feeling awful, but are stuck, and can't just "get over it," as much as they'd love to.

A relative of mine committed suicide last year at the age of 57. Total shock. No note, no one would have thought it would happen. It was devastating. And really selfish. No regard for the loved ones left behind.

Having lived with a bi-polar, anxiety-riddled person, I have learned to take his concerns seriously. I listen, only offer advice when he asks me. But mostly just try to be encouraging. Make sure he knows he's loved and valued. When he makes attempts to get treatment, I'm all for it, and try to get him to see there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

If you have a loved one suffering from depression, it's not an easy journey. Be patient, supportive and encouraging. Don't lecture, don't be dismissive.

A childhood friend of mine passed recently, he was adopted at birth n later as an adult looked for his birth mom, found her etc n found out she was schitzophrenic. When he reached his fortys things in his head changed n he became that way as well. Mental health isnt anything to joke about. Normally id say we can deal with issues but people with brain issues, idk how to put it, cant help what happens to them. All of us who cared about him tried out best to help in anyway but we couldnt n docs couldnt cure it. Anyway depression ya .. tragic to think you cant see anyway out of something n no help wil lhelp you. What do you do? Lock them up for theyre own good how do you make their thoughts go away n do they stay away. Are some ppl capable of overcoming n some not. Was Mr Williams suffering schitz, hearing voices to what extreme was his issues. I hate hearing about it after its to late.

Idk .. it is what it is as sad as it is there for the grace n hope if your that way you get help b4 its to late. Never give up idk ive never experienced it to the point i couldnt deal. Help me out here.

We really do need to talk about it. Here and everywhere! I think the reason more people, myself included there, don't understand it and those that are dealing and have dealt with it, keep it to themselves is because there has never been real open dialog and communication regarding it. This has to change and if it does in a truly meaningful way because of what Robin Williams did, his final act would be his greatest gift to the world. Please, please, please - let's not let it have been in vain.

Here is Letterman talking about his struggle with it.

Perhaps you could also talk about it with someone in real life as well? You know, turn off your computer, and actually have a real conversation with a real person. Do people even do that anymore?

Manic depression to me seems on the same level as schitzophrenia. Your mind is running its own game n you have no control over any of it. To be vicimized by your mind is haunting to me its frightening.

jon1967 said:

Manic depression to me seems on the same level as schitzophrenia. Your mind is running its own game n you have no control over any of it. To be vicimized by your mind is haunting to me its frightening.

This is exactly what happened to me.

Three years ago, my hormones became wildly unbalanced. I had never had depression or any kind of mental illness but suddenly, I couldn't stop crying and was fantasizing about driving into the path of a semi. My doctor and I struggled to get my hormones balanced, and I got to a state of "mostly okay, with a few bad days." But I never really felt good.

Two years ago, after an upsetting event of some sort, I caught myself counting the number of Ambien tablets in the bottle. I called my doctor the next morning and she saw me right away. We decided that while we continued to work on the hormone issues, I'd go on anti-depressent medication. (Two different kinds, but I take one of them more for sleep than the anti-depressent effects.)

I'm still on it, but only a very tiny dose. What it does for me is to quiet the "background noise" so that I can think rationally about any hormone symptoms and what I need to do to get back into balance.

This was the scariest thing I've ever had to deal with. The only reason I am still here is that I retained just enough control over my mind to be able to think about what it would do to my family if I killed myself. I thank God every day that I haven't gotten that low again.

It's strange how people see the same world in a different way from eachother.

Your mind plays tricks with you and makes you look at life a certain way.

That's how i see it.

And sometimes your mind plays it so well you can't fight it.

People can fight it there whole life, but at some time, they give up. It's too exhausting.

JOYJOY said:

I hate that in a society where most things are now acceptable, mental illness and depression is still something that is hidden and routinely made fun of.

This is especially hard to swallow for those of us who suffer from depression and/or mental illnesses.

I've experienced others with depression and manic depression and/or bi-polar and I know that there are qualified people to deal with this, I'm not one of them. Just like I'm not qualified to take your spleen out or to cut someones hair. These also require someone who has an education and experience in the field.

The saddes part about depression and sadness. Is that some people hide it very well i have friends who were always smiling, living their life, and helping others. They hide their struggles very well which was heartbreaking... to say the least.

I don't want to say i've had depression exactly. But i've been extremely down and upset for long periods of time. And wouldn't tell anybody... and just go through it alone.

I can't imagine what that could be like. Suffering serious depression and telling no one! going to your home, or apartment at night. And just suffering each day from it.

Well for those of you who have spotted me on these pages over the years you know that I had it horribly and ended up leaving my daughter with my sister because I felt bad that my daughter had to live with a lethargic mother. The drugs I was taken simply zoned me out and made me fatter. I hope someday that my daughter understands what I did. I did not commit suicide because she was born in 2002 and I knew that it would devistate her. I did call every day, was told to stop and basically that she doesn't want my calls etc. It has been quite painful because I now do not get to see her. ugh.

Like I say, I am alive now because I basically believe that at some point things can be at a better point with my daughter. It keeps me going. To kill myself is to end all hope forever.

Thank you for this thread I hope it will help anyone deal with this Illness. It isn't easy to deal with and there are dark, dark days and people aren't always there for you even though they know you're going through it and in the hereafter they say I wish I could have helped. That's all I'll say.

Please read: http://www.helpguide.org/...n_tips.htm

I would love for someone to do a study to determine why depression is so prevalant in our society.

You look at some third world societies where survival is a daily struggle...and people are HAPPY. Then you look at a society where we have just about anything that we desire at our fingertips...and so many of us are walking around absolutely miserable.

There must be something that we're missing.

PurpleJedi said:

I would love for someone to do a study to determine why depression is so prevalant in our society.

You look at some third world societies where survival is a daily struggle...and people are HAPPY. Then you look at a society where we have just about anything that we desire at our fingertips...and so many of us are walking around absolutely miserable.

There must be something that we're missing.

Speaking only for what happened to me, it's probably because a lot of women in third world countries die before they hit menopause.

PurpleJedi said:

I would love for someone to do a study to determine why depression is so prevalant in our society.

You look at some third world societies where survival is a daily struggle...and people are HAPPY. Then you look at a society where we have just about anything that we desire at our fingertips...and so many of us are walking around absolutely miserable.

There must be something that we're missing.

I don't see how anyone can be happy drinking muddy, diseased water filled with bugs. Depression is a disease that has it's grips on all societies. Third world societies just don't have the means to diagnose and treat it.

PurpleJedi said:

I would love for someone to do a study to determine why depression is so prevalant in our society.

You look at some third world societies where survival is a daily struggle...and people are HAPPY. Then you look at a society where we have just about anything that we desire at our fingertips...and so many of us are walking around absolutely miserable.

There must be something that we're missing.

kitbradley said:

PurpleJedi said:

I would love for someone to do a study to determine why depression is so prevalant in our society.

You look at some third world societies where survival is a daily struggle...and people are HAPPY. Then you look at a society where we have just about anything that we desire at our fingertips...and so many of us are walking around absolutely miserable.

There must be something that we're missing.

I don't see how anyone can be happy drinking muddy, diseased water filled with bugs. Depression is a disease that has it's grips on all societies. Third world societies just don't have the means to diagnose and treat it.

That's a stereotype. I hope you don't REALLY think that all people living in third world societies are living in filfth.

I'm sure that the people in Brazilian slums or Mexican landfills aren't exactly walking around with a smile on their face.

That's not what I'm talking about.

There are people who still live in a world where they eat what they catch, where they make what they need, where infant mortality is high...and you don't have large swaths of their populations moping around, not getting out of bed, feeling sorry for themselves. They would perish.

I don't claim to be educated on the subject, and I don't for one second mean to imply that depression doesn't EXIST in places like Papau New Guinea or the hills of Guatemala (I'm sure that clinical depression is probably treated with candles and chants) - but I'm just pointing our the fact that relative to such societies, we are living in freakin' Utopias. I can get in my motorized transport vehicle (which I own), drive minutes as opposed to hours to get anything that I want or need. Medicine, clothing, utensils, art, weapons, and FOOD from AROUND THE WORLD...all at my disposal. I have heat in the winter, air conditioning in the summer, and rarely have to WORRY about it going away.

Not even going to go into the internet or television.

I dunno. I'm just stating my obsevation/belief/theory/whatever.

JoeTyler said:

PurpleJedi said:

I would love for someone to do a study to determine why depression is so prevalant in our society.

You look at some third world societies where survival is a daily struggle...and people are HAPPY. Then you look at a society where we have just about anything that we desire at our fingertips...and so many of us are walking around absolutely miserable.

There must be something that we're missing.

What does that represent exactly???

Genesia said:

jon1967 said:

Manic depression to me seems on the same level as schitzophrenia. Your mind is running its own game n you have no control over any of it. To be vicimized by your mind is haunting to me its frightening.

This is exactly what happened to me.

Three years ago, my hormones became wildly unbalanced. I had never had depression or any kind of mental illness but suddenly, I couldn't stop crying and was fantasizing about driving into the path of a semi. My doctor and I struggled to get my hormones balanced, and I got to a state of "mostly okay, with a few bad days." But I never really felt good.

Two years ago, after an upsetting event of some sort, I caught myself counting the number of Ambien tablets in the bottle. I called my doctor the next morning and she saw me right away. We decided that while we continued to work on the hormone issues, I'd go on anti-depressent medication. (Two different kinds, but I take one of them more for sleep than the anti-depressent effects.)

I'm still on it, but only a very tiny dose. What it does for me is to quiet the "background noise" so that I can think rationally about any hormone symptoms and what I need to do to get back into balance.

This was the scariest thing I've ever had to deal with. The only reason I am still here is that I retained just enough control over my mind to be able to think about what it would do to my family if I killed myself. I thank God every day that I haven't gotten that low again.

thank you for sharing that. i regret that mr. williams didn't find the help he needed but i'm sure glad you did find that help. the ORG is better for you being here

PurpleJedi said:

I would love for someone to do a study to determine why depression is so prevalant in our society.

You look at some third world societies where survival is a daily struggle...and people are HAPPY. Then you look at a society where we have just about anything that we desire at our fingertips...and so many of us are walking around absolutely miserable.

There must be something that we're missing.

imo happiness can't necessarily be defined as 'the lack of things' which life in a wealthy country like america provides us. it's more an internally generated mind state thingy, dependent on numerous external factors

XxAxX said:

PurpleJedi said:

I would love for someone to do a study to determine why depression is so prevalant in our society.

You look at some third world societies where survival is a daily struggle...and people are HAPPY. Then you look at a society where we have just about anything that we desire at our fingertips...and so many of us are walking around absolutely miserable.

There must be something that we're missing.

imo happiness can't necessarily be defined as 'the lack of things' which life in a wealthy country like america provides us. it's more an internally generated mind state thingy, dependent on numerous external factors

I wasn't necessarily referring to "things" as in material things, but rather conveniences afforded to us by life in a First World society.

XxAxX said: