Depression isn’t just a temporary mood swing or a sign of personal weakness. It’s a serious medical condition with many emotional, cognitive, physical and behavioural symptoms.
Many people feel ashamed or afraid to seek help, others make light of their symptoms leading them to suffer in silence. It’s important to remember that depression isn’t a character defect or something that you have brought on yourself.1
Who Does Depression Hurt?
During their lifetime about 1 in 10 people in Canada will experience an episode of major depressive disorder (the diagnosis given to those suffering from depression)
Unfortunately many people, unaware of how common depression is, avoid seeking treatment because they worry what others will think of them. They feel like they’re the only ones. Depression is in fact a widespread medical condition:
Depression is among the leading causes of disability worldwide
Women are more likely than men to experience depression
People with a family history of depression may be more likely to develop the disease
People with chronic illnesses may also be susceptible to the disease
4 comments
My opinion is that that is a very psychiatric statement on depression.
In the old days, there was a condition labeled “melancholia”, which I guess means a sort of persistent or recurring sadness. I read recently that some people want to revive that term.
I think that might be relevant:
The other day, a friend of mine told me that only one of her friends was without a psychiatric diagnosis. So in other words, only one out of all her friends was labeled “normal” by the doctors. To me, that sort of renders the word “normal” meaningless.
So that’s the pragmatic point of view.
From the psychiatric angle, depression is a very treatable condition, much more curable than, say schizophrenia (even though that can sometimes be cured too). Which is good news, I guess.
Hey Morgan and Muspelhem
Come to me, my melancholy baby
Cuddle up and don’t be blue
All your fears are foolish fancies, maybe
You know, honey, I’m in love with you
Every cloud must have a silver lining
Just wait until the sun shines through
Smile, my honey dear, while I kiss away each tear
Or else I shall be melancholy too
Smile, my honey dear, while I kiss away each tear
Or else I shall be melancholy too
Or maybe we should just start saying….”ME, I suffer from The Human Condition”.
Or perhaps….”i’m just human”….but melancholia is definitely closer than depressive espisodes imo. Have just had a 50 year long episode of depression otherwise….hehehe
Namaste
Amakua
Thanks Amakua 🙂 I needed that! Is it a lullaby? Hope you’re well (or, you know). 🙂
@muspelhem….hahaha…the first song I learned to play at the keyboard. I still sing it often….the piano I lost. It makes me feel better in some weird pathetic way. I sing it to myself. I like the melody even more than the words….probably find it on utube….Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald…all the old greats did it and the title is the first line of the lyrics. And yes muspelhem….I AM well…or you know….lol…u?
Have you done any more experiments lately?…hmmm?
Namaste
Amakua