Posted by Gabbi on July 10, 2002, at 13:39:53
In reply to Re: Real Depression, posted by OldSchool on February 10, 2002, at 23:38:38
Why do People insist on having this argument. If it interferes with your life, its DEPRESSION Its not a bloody competition. If you have these depressed feelings that have broken free of their external causes and taken on a life of their own ITS DEPRESSION.
As for the drug detractors, well in a perfect world no one would have to take prescriptions for anything, or wear glasses.But, and here I thank Andrew Solomon for his book "The noonday Demon" READ IT it is the ultimate book on depression, and though its not a 'self help" book its the only thing thats ever helped me feel better during a breakdown.
We don't know what the side effects of all these anti-depressent drugs... true, but we DO know the side effects of untreated depression and that is at the very least a 15% suicide rate.
In addition if you have your first depression treated it can prevent further breakdowns, however if you cycle on and off medication (and I did, I hated taking all those pills) and have subsequent depressive episodes, eventually those episodes have a great chance of increasing to the point where a technically minor disappointment can launch you into a major depressive episode. I think when this happens it must be the time when people who have never had depression think its a character flaw a "wimpy" quality: because it really must look silly to other people, but it is absolutely real to the person suffering. Whether or not they fit into someones arbitrary decision about what "depression" is.
poster:Gabbi
thread:91928
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020709/msgs/111937.html