 |
| Register | Login | |||||
 |
Main
| Memberlist
| Active users
| Calendar
| Chat
| Online users Ranks | FAQ | ACS | Stats | Color Chart | Search | Photo album |
|
| | ||
|
| Register | Login | |||||
|
Main
| Memberlist
| Active users
| Calendar
| Chat
| Online users Ranks | FAQ | ACS | Stats | Color Chart | Search | Photo album |
|
| | ||
| 0 users currently in World Affairs/Debate. |
| Acmlm's Board - I3 Archive - World Affairs/Debate - Depression and Mental Illness |
New poll |  |  |
| Pages: 1 2 | Add to favorites | Next newer thread | Next older thread |
| User | Post | ||
Tarale    2710 Affected by 'Princess Bitch-Face Syndrome' ++++!! Persona non grata                   Since: 11-17-05 From: Adelaide, Australia Last post: 6293 days Last view: 6293 days |
| ||
| Blah, another topic I'm gonna have trouble putting into words for the initial post.... see how I go, shall we?
I suffer from Clinical Depression -- specifically Atypical Depression (despite it's name, it's the most common type). I have done so since 2002, although I had a period in 2004/2005 where the majority of it was not problematic. I was first diagnosed with it in 2002 -- at the time, I was suicidal due to a number of factors, including a long-distance relationship, my parent's disapproval of this, an unfulfilling and nasty work environment (I was treated very poorly) and an ex-boyfriend who was stalking me, tailing me as I drove to work, turning up at my work and demanding to speak to me, entering my home uninvited on one occasion when my step-father had left the door open. I was falling apart, so I spoke to the doctor and was diagnosed with Depression. I was prescribed an SSRI -- Sertraline (known as "Zoloft") -- and more or less left to my own devices. Upon mentioning this to "friends", many of them chose to cut ties with me outright. Others attacked me over it and other factors. Some were particularly upset that I was medicated for the condition, and launched into quite scathing verbal attacks over it. Others insisted I just "get over it", and refused to talk to me till I did. These outspoken and violent verbal attacks only acted to worsten the Depression; giving me a further sense of isolation and a feeling of having little/no support network. I was blamed for being "weak"; accused of taking an "easy way out" by taking medication for the problem, and it was suggested that perhaps I should kill myself as the "voices in my head" were already telling me to do. Why is it that people do this to people who are Depressed? What is it that makes people so violently unkind to people with mental illness or on medication for such conditions? What do you think about the whole issue of mental illnesses in general? The rate of Depression is apparently rising; but there's still a lack of awareness about the issue and many misconceptions about things. There's a lack of support for those affected too. So uh.... yeah... thoughts? |
|||
|
Sinfjotle Lordly? No, not quite.   Since: 11-17-05 From: Kansas Last post: 6295 days Last view: 6294 days |
| ||
| I think your friends might've just sucked. (I really want to end the post here, like seriously, that sums up everything I was thinking.)
I myself have a form dissociation, maybe an illness maybe not depending on your standards, I don't really feel much and I have problems recalling things. Things just don't matter to me, or if they do it isn't that much. I've decided my best course of action would be to not worry about it (...hahaha...) and so I haven't told anyone. I'm well aware that my family and friends think I'm rather disconnected from the world, but they don't think that anything's actually wrong with me. I fake some emotions here and there, pretend to be sad or happy at the right times, and no one really worries. I believe if I told people though, they'd look at me differently, much like your friends did to you. They'd think you were just using it as an excuse to get attention, something fairly common I'm sure you know. I think that sometimes the best way to get over depression though, is simply to work through it. In your state it would probably be a lot harder than it is compared to how I think about it, which makes it hard for me to put myself in your shoes, so I know that wouldn't be easy. You do have the power though to change your life, it tends to be one of those stage fright things. It's hard when you think about it, but when you start doing it, it is easy. |
|||
|
Tarale 2710 Affected by 'Princess Bitch-Face Syndrome' ++++!! Persona non grata Since: 11-17-05 From: Adelaide, Australia Last post: 6293 days Last view: 6293 days |
| ||
| Oh, I'm a lot better now -- albeit on a different medication (this one's an NARI -- Reboxetine / "Edronax") which seems to better target my atypical symptoms. I tend to cope with things better and I've long since accepted that this is something -- like everything in life -- that I must go through alone.
I'm not after support in this thread, I'm querying why people get so angry, vicious and nasty about the whole issue. And you bought up another thing I was accused of -- Attention Whoring. Apparently if you are unable to handle things in utter solitude, you are an "Emo" or an "Attention Whore". WTF is with that?  |
|||
|
Sinfjotle Lordly? No, not quite. Since: 11-17-05 From: Kansas Last post: 6295 days Last view: 6294 days |
| ||
| It's natural. Happens all the time in society. The littlist kid is always picked on, etc... Is it right? No. You'll never be able to change people though. | |||
rubixcuber Mole  Since: 09-08-06 From: St. Louis, MO Last post: 6403 days Last view: 6403 days |
| ||
| I think this is a big problem in today's society. People who don't have problems with depression think of depression as a state of mind. They think that if people who are depressed just stop being negative, everything will magically get better. People fail to realize that there depression can be a legitimate medical condition which needs treatment and medication just like any other condition. I myself suffer from depression, and it is very hard to deal with people who don't think it's a real condition. | |||
Rom Manic Since: 12-18-05 From: Detroit, WHAT?! Last post: 6293 days Last view: 6293 days |
| ||
| I feel you should consider Meditation, Tarale. I do it often and I feel as though I am relaxed and content after each session, and that feeling is enhanced when I smoke a gram or 2 of weed at the same time.
In my honest opinion, I think it would do you good if you feel depressed. The process expands your mind, and you will probably feel more concentrated and focused, yet relaxed and apathetic. |
|||
windwaker Ninji i'm not judgemental, i'm cynical Lonely People of the World, Unite! Since: 12-27-05 Last post: 6323 days Last view: 6301 days |
| ||
| I personally feel that the downsides of an SSRI outweigh the benefits unless you would kill yourself otherwise.
But that's just my opinion, and I wouldn't be an asshole to people just for getting on an SSRI (unless they complained about the downsides -- you should know what you're getting into when taking medication). |
|||
beneficii Broom Hatter Since: 11-18-05 Last post: 6297 days Last view: 6293 days |
| ||
| Tarale,
The rate of depression may not be rising; it may be that cases are becoming more well-known. As for people being accusatory toward you; I know what you're talking about. Like with Yoro coming out after being all bottled up and then people thrashing her for it, this is you coming out with that. One reason may be that it's sudden. You had spent all your time fronting a mask and people had got a level of comfort with you, when suddenly the mask falls away revealing a quite different face. It's sort of unpredictable at this point, but you should stay at it and don't deny who you are and where you came from and continue to work at improving yourself. What sucks even more is when you're pretty sure of yourself and you want people to know, you find that you have to keep wearing the mask, lest you find yourself an "attention whore." |
|||
Jomb Deddorokku  Since: 12-03-05 From: purgatory Last post: 6296 days Last view: 6296 days |
| ||
| In my experience, people who are healthy do not want to believe that mental illness really exists, they want to believe that everyone is perfectly in control of their own actions and can make rational decisions. To allow for the reality that some people are mentally ill would mean that there are people not totally responsible for their actions, and most people will not tolerate that notion. Most people cant conceive of such a thing in any real way, having never experienced it. It's like trying to get someone to believe in something they cant see or feel, and that they ardently dont want to believe in or are unwilling to take the time to learn about. Some people also look at like this "you got problems, so do i, but you dont see me popping pills over mine, get over it wimp".
Another part of the problem, I think, is that their are too many bogus "mental illnesses" being invented to market medication, which detracts from the people who really are mentally ill. It used to be if you were diagnosed as bi-polar that really meant something, now it seems like everyone and their mother are being diagnosed as bi-polar, for example. About 10 years ago I only knew of 1 person in my area who had a mental illness diagnosis, and she really was. Now I know of at least a couple dozen just in my area, and most of them i have doubts about. I even know one guy who gets disability over it and he seems perfectly normal to me and says he's faking it for the money. Just because someone is slightly quirky that does'nt make them mentally ill, that title needs to be reserved for people who truly cant cope on their own. The medication for depression is a scary concept to me. I've been depressed before, I even was put in a solitary confinement rubber room once for suicidal behavior many years ago, but I've always refused all medication. Most people I've known who went on that sort of medication had major personality changes, for the worse. But if the choice is take the medication or die, obviously go with the medication. I'd say only use the medication if all other options had been thoroughly exhausted. |
|||
Arwon Bazu Since: 11-18-05 From: Randwick, Sydney, NSW, Australia Last post: 6295 days Last view: 6295 days |
| ||
| Bipolar disorder, true clinical bipolar disorder, is a frightening thing to behold and it has indeed come to take on a whole other meaning these days. | |||
|
Sin Dogan 860  Uoodo Original Blend Armored Trooper Votoms Canned Coffee! Since: 11-17-05 Last post: 6298 days Last view: 6297 days |
| ||
| It's not the same as depression, but it is a mental illness..
I work at a nursing home(activity dept). A lot of residents there have Alzheimer's and/or dementia. I learned at my old job how to communicate and such with the more delicate people. I have infinite patience with them. And rightfully so. We(others) have no right to be otherwise. In my opinion, only those with such mental conditions are allowed to be angry. I've learned little by little how they think. Some people try talking to them without considering what they are more likely to understand...others don't understand them or what they talk about... I can tell that some of the residents themselves don't know what they want, let alone how to exp I am really against putting senior citizens into homes. A lot of families just don't know how bad it is or how much their loved ones want to see them. There are only a few who prefer living alone away from family. The cost of living is insanely disproportionate.(its about 5,000 per month where I work) The aides can be pretty neglectful. It's brutal how in that line of work, more than ever, the ones being serviced are most important yet are often times ignored. |
|||
Danielle 6730 Administratorrrr HELLO THERE   Since: 11-17-05 From: California Rate me ^_^ Last post: 6294 days Last view: 6293 days |
| ||
| I think that in many cases, it's hard to truly diagnose someone with a mental illness. Unless it is causing them obvious physical health effects, the mental aspect of it is much more difficult to understand. To the person claiming the illness, it may seem to them obvious and in dire need of help, but to others around them it might seem needy and excessive to have medical treatment. And if that person can hide it well, the doctor can't properly diagnose anyway. I know this isn't necessarily true for all mental illnesses... some can be scientifically proven one way or another... but that's not my point. I don't know if mental illness rates are increasing because more people THINK they have an illness, or if people are just becoming more accustomed to letting it all out and getting help. Obviously having bipolar disorder or serious depression is going to be more severe than, say, acute obsessive-compulsive disorder, but does that make it any less of a mental illness? Does it not count as a mental illness as much simply because it is easier to treat?
(I might have gone offtopic a bit... but those are the thoughts that come to mind after reading this thread. Sue me.) Either way though, there should be some method of help for anyone and everyone, whether it be medication or simply some dependable friends. I'm sorry to hear that you had such careless, flaky friends, Tarale. =\ |
|||
|
Tarale 2710 Affected by 'Princess Bitch-Face Syndrome' ++++!! Persona non grata Since: 11-17-05 From: Adelaide, Australia Last post: 6293 days Last view: 6293 days |
| ||
Rom Maniac -- I already meditate, but probably not as often as I should. I find it's hard to find the time.  It sort of helps with the anxiety aspect.
Blah... and I'm so bad with words today.... let's try saying what I've been trying to say (for approximately 45 minutes now) again... You know how some people think that others are "weak" for being on medication? I wonder if perhaps it's cause they don't see the real freaky lows of things like Depression. They see the fairly normal stuff. Atypical Depression sufferers are capable of being quite normal in social situations -- it's a characteristic of that subtype of Depression; we respond to highs and lows. Social situations are usually highs; we react positively, generally Atypical Depression sufferers will come across cheerful and normal in a social situation. So, nobody thinks that there's a problem. And then cause they don't see it, maybe they think you're being "weak" for being on medication for a problem they don't see. Thing is, with my situation, it's only been family and my former partner who saw/see the lows. And I suspect that's not something that is exclusive to my experience with Depression. Other people don't see me crying into the sink when I'm trying to do the dishes, cause they won't come clean. Or screaming. Or when I'm suicidal, or when I have self-harmed. The scary stuff -- the stuff I'm on medication in an effort to prevent from happening. Does that make sense? I dunno...  |
|||
|
KP9001 180 I'm going Weasel in 3 months! Where will I end up going?  Since: 01-30-06 From: Show Low, AZ Last post: 6294 days Last view: 6294 days |
| ||
| I was diagnosed with ADHD as a child. I had it bad. I had trouble with the medicines I was taking. I kept switching from different ones until finally I just stopped takingthem at around the age of fifteen, which solved all my ADHD problems. No issues with it ever again. | |||
|
Jomb Deddorokku Since: 12-03-05 From: purgatory Last post: 6296 days Last view: 6296 days |
| ||
| ADHD is one of the ones I sometimes wonder about. Are'nt children normally a little hyper and inquisitive? Why medicate them to zombies over it? | |||
Doppelganger 8DS  Since: 11-17-05 From: 65 00 20 00 65 00 1F 00 65 00 2F 00 Last post: 6294 days Last view: 6294 days |
| ||
| I've always wondered if i've had ADHD. I doubt it though, I don't really show the symptoms, then again, I haven't ever been tested for it. Do you get tested for it or do doctors just notice it? Hell if I know. Anyway, that kinda sucks Tarale. Scary thought how that all works. Hopefully the medication will keep you from completely losing it. That would be worse. =( | |||
Theprankster157 Red Paragoomba  Since: 03-18-06 From: United States Last post: 6313 days Last view: 6313 days |
| ||
| I have ADHD and Bi polar. It sucks alot. I was on meds for a while. But it messed my system up so Im off now. Im still not sure if its agood thing yet. | |||
Crashman Grizzo  Since: 12-26-05 From: Maine Last post: 6331 days Last view: 6331 days |
| ||
| I had a bad year in college. My doctor put me on prozac, which put me on auto-pilot. My friends stuck by me, but wont talk to me much about it. I remember almost nothing for a stretch of 7 months. I flunked 2 classes that semester and barely passed the rest.
This is some serious shite, and i have real sympathy for anyone struggling with it. |
|||
|
Theprankster157 Red Paragoomba Since: 03-18-06 From: United States Last post: 6313 days Last view: 6313 days |
| ||
Originally posted by Crashman yea I know what you mean. 8th grade / 9th grade were my real bad years. I went through so many meds. I feel sorry for anyone who has to go through that, because it's not fun being put on a different medication a month. I failed hella lot of classes cuz i was gone from school alot. The teachers were sympathetic tho. Always a plus. |
|||
|
Tarale 2710 Affected by 'Princess Bitch-Face Syndrome' ++++!! Persona non grata Since: 11-17-05 From: Adelaide, Australia Last post: 6293 days Last view: 6293 days |
| ||
| I had some thoughts on why people get angry about others getting Depression and Mental Illnesses after reading a bit about cognitive biases.
I wonder if it has to do a bit with things like the Just World Phenomenon. The Just World Phenomenon is a cognitive bias that a lot of people have where they have trouble with the idea that bad things happen to good people -- so they assume that for a bad thing to have happened, the person must have been bad. It's also comforting to think this way I guess -- because then you can tell yourself that as long as you're a good person, then it won't happen to you. Depression and Mental Illnesses also upset people's Illusion of Control cognitive bias -- as it can often be something that cannot be controlled... |
| Pages: 1 2 | Add to favorites | Next newer thread | Next older thread |
| Acmlm's Board - I3 Archive - World Affairs/Debate - Depression and Mental Illness |
| |
