I’m sitting here celebrating my 17th birthday with friends, my family and the boyfriend and things are actually looking up for a change 🙂 but something’s really bugging me. My grandfather came up to me a little while ago and made the comment “I’m glad you’re happy. I knew that “depression” phase would vanish.” At first I asked him what he meant and he started going on about how young I was and how it was impossible for me to feel real, long term depression. Now I’m just really annoyed. I mean just because I’m not an adult, doesn’t mean I haven’t had experience or the ability to feel this way. I mean depression and suicidal thoughts can hit anyone at any stage right? Or am I just over reacting?
CPC
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I’ve been depressed since I was 13 and I’m 28 now. He might be speaking from his own experience, so to him, that might be true, but it’s definitely not the same for everybody.
I was just talking to mum (his daughter) and apparently he believes that psychology and stuff like that are nonsense and that people can just snap out of depression if they want to (just like homosexuality and stuff) -.- but I just thought after my brother (who use to be suicidal) and I both started to talk about it that he (along with others) would start being more accepting and helpful. But thank-you for reassuring me that I’m not completely in the wrong 🙂
You’re not — and psychology/psychiatry is not nonsense. lol The more depressed you are, the more your mind “learns” how to be depressed, and the harder it is to get un-depressed. For anyone who’s been depressed before, it’s hard to say it’s just a phase.
Happy Birthday! <3 I kinda understand what your grandpa is getting at but depression has no age stage. I was like 6 when I was depressed.
They say depression is chemical and ‘treatable’ with the right cockail of drugs or that it’s just a phase we all ‘outgrow.’
How trite.
They’re the ‘best’ (lame) reason’s ‘normal’ people come up with so they can feel good about themselves by making the world ‘right’ again.
Happy birthday. You are not overreacting. Your grandfather was possibly just saying those things to a) try and make you feel better and b) so he didn’t have to imagine that you were unwell – this may have made him sad. Depression does not have an age, but with the proper assistance, it can be overcome. Please find someone to help you so that it does not dig itself deeper into your soul.
You cannot “snap” out of depression but you can learn ways to help yourself. Try looking into mindfulness – this is a wonderful process that helps stop thoughts that could be destructive. It helps you to stay in the present moment and have a clear mind. I am listening.
You can most definitely be depressed at almost any age, Crazypandachick, although this kinda thing often gets worse in the teenage years.Zx
Happy birthday! I’m of the opinion that psychology is not a science and have been willfully ignoring it, so I can’t advise on whether it’s possible to have “real” or “clinical” “depression”. I can say that I was having suicidal thoughts a little earlier than that, though.
My grandma has pretty radical views on depression too – she basically tells me to suck it up. But she’s survived an gambling, abusive, alcoholic husband and then having to raise three children alone on a pittance. I’d say she has the right to feel that my hardships pale in comparison to hers. Sometimes that can translate into refusing to believe that I have anything at all to be upset about. I can take that from my grandma, knowing that none of us would be here if she hadn’t been so resilient. Perhaps your granddad has a backstory too?