Posted by ayuda on April 29, 2003, at 10:02:29
In reply to Out of sight, in your mind. » leeran, posted by Eddie Sylvano on April 29, 2003, at 9:18:28
What I normally tell people, instead of just telling them that I suffer from depression, is that I suffer from CLINICAL depression. That way, they then want to know the difference between that and being sad, and I get the chance to tell them it's an inherited (for me at least) chemical imbalance that has to be treated with medications that stabilize my neurotransmittors.
If they don't know anything about chemistry or anatomy (and I certainly don't!), they are fascinated, and I usually use the diabetes comparison. If they do, then they ask more questions, and I can then tell them that all I know is that my body does not use its serotonin and other chemicals correctly, and that the resulting condition is commonly called "depression."
We need a new name for it, because it gets too confused with sadness.
But I have found that calling it clinical depression usually makes a world of difference in people's reactions. If not, I tell them that they have misconceptions about depression, and then go into my spiel. If they still don't get it, I usually tell them that there IS a difference and they need to look it up, and that if it wasn't a chemical problem my meds would not work.
I can get terribly cranky with people who ask those questions. Then again, I can just get terribly cranky, period!
poster:ayuda
thread:223074
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030426/msgs/223129.html