Posted by mist on June 24, 2002, at 14:46:33
In reply to pro-neurology defense :), posted by krazy kat on June 24, 2002, at 14:09:51
KK,
I believe all bipolar and *some* major depressions are "physical disorders" as you say-- that they would happen regardless of circumstances. However, I've been diagnosed with major depression more than once in my life, including last year. The rest of the time I've had moderate depression, sometimes (more rarely) mild. The major depression for me is a deepening, worsening of the other levels of depression, not anything different. It's just things getting worse internally for me until I end up in a practically vegetative state. I also know that the origins of my depression had to do with my childhood environment and how I responded it psychologically (which was beyond my control), which then caused neurological changes that produced the symptoms of depression.
I don't believe this is the case for everyone—I can only know my own experience—but clearly it is for some since it is for me. What I find difficult is people insisting that because they have one experience, or a set of conclusions drawn from their experience, it has to be true for everyone in spite of what others say about their own lives! When I hear people aggressively assert absolutes like that, I feel like my experience and what I've learned from it is being invalidated and disrespected.
By the way, I'm not referring to anything you've said, this is more about how some other, less civil, posters have handled the issue here.
I also think acknowledging the role environment *can* play in mental health is important to help educate parents about behaviors and expectations that are unhealthy for their kids. It's not about blaming parents, but about collectively learning as a society what's best for kids (which even well meaning parents sometimes seem to be clueless about). Sometimes depression is an effect of a depriving/abusive/neglectful environment in which a child feels trapped and becomes hopeless, yet the parents are in denial that anything is wrong. What therapy can theoretically do when it works is break the denial, either for the family or for the individuals affected by it when they are grown.
This doesn't mean there aren't people who wouldn't get depressed anyway as result of purely biological factors.
By the way,in spite of what I've said I'm actually a little anti-psychologist too because I think too many aren't that good or they don't know their limitations (who they can help and who they can't).
poster:mist
thread:25602
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20020616/msgs/25648.html