Depression is NOT a Real Disorder

reply to post by ofhumandescent


My friend you mentioned animals - how wonderful they all are. I have a dog and cat - I can talk to them and not be critized - they show unconditonal love. And nothing like my cat "DJ" purring in my lap and a big hug from my dog "Mo". When I need a lift I watch animal videos. I love domestic and wild animals!

reply to post by seeashrink


It's posts like yours that give real insight.

Hope to hear more from you on this.

One additonal thing my son mentioned to me when I said, "more people now seem to be depressed, I know I feel more down right around fall than any other time period". He said, "It's a scientific fact that when we humans get less sunlight, our brain wiring gets into a deprerssion mode".

WOW, It's just not "going crazy for the fun of it" there is hard medical evidence. That alone helps. Now, while I am not normally a depressed person, fall, while a beautiful season tends to make me a little more down than usual.

They actually have sun lamps and also "therapy lamps". Just a couple minutes a couple times a day might help.

Right around now, where I am we are getting less sunlight. It all adds up.

The human brain needs a certain amount of sunlight for happiness.

Seasonal depression, often called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is a depression that occurs each year at the same time, usually starting in fall or winter and ending in spring or early summer. It is more than just "the winter blues" or "cabin fever." A rare form of SAD known as "summer depression," begins in late spring or early summer and ends in fall.

What is light therapy, and is it safe?
Light therapy, sometimes called phototherapy, is administered by a device that contains white fluorescent light tubes covered with a plastic screen to block ultraviolet rays. The intensity of light emitted (Lux) should be at least 10,000 Lux. The patient does not need to look directly into the light, but reads or eats while sitting in front of the device at a distance of 2 to 3 feet. Light therapy is safe and generally well tolerated.

Minor side effects of light therapy include:

•Eye strain
•Headache
•Irritability
•Fatigue
•Insomnia

At what time of the day and for how long should I use light therapy?
Recent studies suggest that morning light therapy is more effective than evening treatments. Using this treatment too late in the day may also produce insomnia. Many health professionals today prefer to treat SAD with 10,000 Lux for 30 minutes every morning. Patients have shown some improvement within 2 to 4 days and reach full benefits within 2 to 4 weeks. The symptoms of SAD return quickly after discontinuation of light therapy, so light treatment should be continued throughout the entire season of low sunlight.

Even though they generate enough light, tanning beds should not be used to treat SAD. The amount of ultraviolet (UV) rays they produce is harmful to the skin and eyes.

Source: my.clevelandclinic.org...

I have been in Recovery from Depression for the last 20yrs.

Before that I was an RN with a Type `A`, workaholic, perfectionist personality.

It boggles my mind when I hear or read someone say that exercise cures Depression.

I always want to say, "don`t you think I WOULD if I COULD???????? "

To me, part of Depression is not being able to function in the Activities of Daily Living (ADL).

If I am having trouble brushing my teeth, washing my hair, taking a bath, making my bed, eating etc...etc...etc...

Then I am certainly going to have trouble `exercising`.

Doing any of these things IS an exercise for me.

Instead of being criticized for what I am UNABLE to do, I find it much more helpful to be understood & supported in what I AM able to do.

I aleady feel bad enough being in such a debilitated state, I don`t need help feeling any worse.

This is the first result I get when I Google`define Depression`:

Web definitions for depression: a mental state characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a despondent lack of activity.

PS: One of the most helpful suggestions, from my family Doctor, was to get a Cat, or two, & I must say, they have been the most Therapeutic of all the Therapy I have had. I just Love them.

Life is what you make of it. Negative thinking leads to depression. Existentialism leads to depression. Hard life leads to depression. Too much thinking generally leads to depression. Depression is a disorder but it's by individual's own actions and thoughts mainly. Many people have hard lives - some of them comes to depression, some of them doesn't. In the end it really comes to what each person makes out of their situation, how they perceive world and what has altered their mind. Depression like any other disease start's in mind and soul. Depression kicks in that point when you learn, how hopeless and helpless you are in the big world. How insignificant you are and how the world is unfair and society strange to you. Nothing has a point and you don't want to do anything but sleep, think about how pointless existence is and so on - and do nothing.

Then you just have to listen to your soul. Throw the mind away it destroys you. Listen to your soul, to your intuition and instincts. Do what your heart says to do. And make most of your life - not trying to find a point. I make it sound so easy. Because I am young. Because my dreams and wishes alters thousand times a day. Because I have grown to sicken too much thinking.

I used to hate school. Because I thought of it just some compulsory thing that I have to attend in order to be a part of modern society. I thought how learning variety of subjects and things that won't ever be needed in life is pointless. I thought school is just a prison for kids. But then something kicked me. And I started to play mp3 in breaks between lessons. Dance through school. interact with whole students. Joke. Sing. Laugh. I do anything I feel like doing. I also thought - well if learning standard subjects is needed to get a job, enroll in college and so on. Why the hell not? I have just a year left in high school - I better make most of it. Also. Interacting with teacher's more often asking every question that you have on your mind helps.

And I've come to the point where I love school. Yeah it's not perfect but I learn things there, I meet people and interact with them.

Life is like school but bigger.

Cheers.

reply to post by seeashrink


First of all, I empathize with your struggle. In a world that is constantly giving us more and more reason to be unhappy, it is certainly hard for all of us to maintain a steady state of happiness and contentment.

I was unaware that depression could be inherited. Could you give us proof or scientific evidence of this? I'm sure if everyone knew that depression is genetic then much more people would be understanding and be sympathetic.

The way I see it, we have been taught all our lives that our body is separate from our mind, that our thoughts are in no way connected to our body, and that we must suffer from our body's defects and only chemicals can cure us. In reality, chemicals treat, they don't cure, especially if the problem is mental or emotional and not physical in nature.

The truth is, our mind has complete dominion over our bodies and it is only our perception of the world that causes us to experience emotions in different ways. Chemical imbalances are a result of mental and emotions imbalances, not the cause. I recently read about a study which showed that wealthy people produce more of a certain hormone that causes us to live longer. Is it more logical to believe that their financial status in life was predetermined by their genes, or simply that their optimistic perspective on life resulted in better health?

reply to post by crazydaisy


I love watching animal videos. The attached is one of my favorite and makes me feel so good. The music is absolutely uplifting.



We lost our furry baby of 19-20 years on Monday, July 12, 2010. He was an English Pointer. We found him seemingly asleep on the couch. He had died during the night in his sleep.

I can't write more right now because I will start to cry.

He was very smart, gentle and loved us unconditionally. He never expected a "payback" except for a scratch behind the ears, a doggy massage or a milk bone.

Your cat is sooooooooo sweet looking. Nice picture!

Our dog was a "throw away" a "going to the pound if you don't take him mom, another doggy on death row"

To everyone out there, adopt from a shelter, there are so many wonderful animal companions looking for a good home.

And yes, scientists say that having an animal companion does help depresson and loneliness.

You don't have to put on makeup, lose weight, wear fancy clothes - they just accept you exactly how you come. Animals are to me like angels in disguise.

Doing sports for hobby is number one thing to prevent depression.

I once had an injury and was unable to do sports for some time. Life got a bit messed up then with alcohol and everything.

I know most of people say "yeah, I guess I know I SHOULD do sports." That is far, far away from actually doing something about it. Yet so close to that big change.

Other important thing is healthy eating and all that. These are things YOU can do all by yourself to make a natural change in your well-being - not dependant on anyone else. Most will not do it, but I'm sorry then.

reply to post by Maiden PEI


Yes and you are perfectly correct..........exercise helps but only so much. There is a hard wiring, a set medical condition that is very real for many people.

I was trying to be helpful and apologize if it came across as something else.

While some of us try to empathize, it is hard to truely understand this condition if one has not gone through it.

That is why ATS posts like yours are so helpful. It gives others another perspective and educates others.

reply to post by Epiphron


The post that said depression is genetic is correct. I grew up on a farm and taught, if you plant a rose, expect a rose, you won't get a sunflower or violet.

Most of what we are is due to our DNA including our thought processes. I believe we even have what some scientist now call "genetic memory" like salmon that swim upstream and spawn exactly right where their parents did, and yet they never met their parents.

Yes, some experiences and our enviroment play a part but DNA / Genes play a large roll.

The article and site below are very interesting and informative.

Theories About Causes
Medical research has contributed much to our understanding of depression. However, scientists do not know the exact mechanism that triggers depressive illness. Probably no single cause gives rise to the illness, and researchers continue to piece the puzzle together.

In the past, doctors believed that depression was the result of thoughts or emotions that were troubling for a person. More recently, experts realize that there can be several factors working together that will lead a person to become depressed. The three most important of these are biological, genetic, and environmental factors.

Biological causes are due to changes in the chemistry of the brain, such as fluctuations in the levels of important hormones. Genetic causes are the result of what you inherit from your parents. If one or both of your parents have a vulnerability to depression, then it can be transmitted to you. Environmental factors (also called emotional factors) result from stressful emotional situations, such as a lack of loving parents or the death of a parent during childhood. To make it even more complicated, depression can also occur as a result of a combination of the three factors just mentioned. If you inherited a vulnerability to depression from one of your parents, your brain may react to a stressful event in a way that causes you to get depressed.
Depression can also develop due to a physical illness, a reaction to a medication that you are taking, or as an outcome of substance abuse. In these cases, when the cause is successfully treated, the depression will end.

Genetic Factors

Scientists believe genetic factors play a role in some depressions. Researchers are hopeful, for instance, that they are closing in on genetic markers for susceptibility to manic-depressive disorder.

Recent genetic research also supports earlier studies reporting family links in depression. For example, if one identical twin suffers from depression or manic-depressive disorder, the other twin has a 70 percent chance of also having the illness. Other studies that looked at the rate of depression among adopted children supported this finding. Depressive illnesses among adoptive family members had little effect on a child's risk of depression; however, the disorder was three times more common among adopted children whose biological relatives suffered depression.

Source and rest of article: www.healthyplace.com...

Originally posted by PETROLCOIN
People who do not have depression think of sufferers of depression as pathetic and weak individuals who mope about the house feeling sorry for themselves. They claim all it takes is venturing outdoors into society, socializing and meeting new people, and making changes to your life and situation.

edit on 11/7/2010 by PETROLCOIN because: (no reason given)

um, sorry, but i do not have depression and this is not how i view depression. Am i the only one on ATS who is tired of people assuming everyone is the same? if said this to about ten different threads now: EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT, NOT EVERYONE THINKS THE WAY YOU DO/THE WAY YOU THINK THEY DO.

i don.t know if that what.s messing up my life and thinking is a depression.
all i know is that life is much blacker than it was before and although i can enjoy very good moments, i have the feeling that those are not much and the rest of the time is somehow dark grey to black.

due to changed life circumstances and struggleing with welfare etc. it gets worse
there are days where i just want to stay in bed, where i feel paralyzed, where i walk around like a very old woman.

a friend adviced to see the doctor, which i did.
she told me to be a tourist in my own town, just to get a better feeling.
i felt misunderstood.
at that time i could have hardly be a tourist in my own bathroom not talking of doing one hours ride to a suburb of my city.

somehow some docs in this country have not get used to depressions.

meanwhile i have managed to find a counselor, a psychologist, and i am helping myself with st john.s wort.

but when looking back, i have the feeling that this - may i call it depression even if i am not pretty sure - has been there all my life.

good advice of changing ones life.
sometimes not even that is possible.
people will call this poor excuses of not doing so.
but you can be trapped in a life that can.t be changed due to raising children and other stuff.

to me life is kind of functionating, like a robot, doing my duty and that.s it.

Originally posted by againuntodust

I tend to disagree with the statement that people who can get themselves out of their depression are 'situational' and those who can't are 'clinical'.

This is not the correct definition of the two.

Here are the Google definitions:

Situational Depression

• an episode of emotional and psychological depression that occurs in response to a specific set of circumstances.

Clinical Depression

• depression that is serious enough to require psychiatric intervention and treatment.

• a state of sadness or melancholia that has advanced to the point of being disruptive to an individual's social functioning and/or activities of daily living (ADLs).

Everything in life and every disagreement usually comes back to this:
"To understand something, you must experience it."
I try to always side with people who have experienced things, not the others, because they are almost always right.

reply to post by PETROLCOIN


You know what works for me?

As a side effect of my 30mg of OxyContin for Pelvic and Testicular Pain; Oxy is also very effective in getting rid of depression! This is not an endorsement to do this though.

I am sure since you too have depression, you are aware of the pains that come along with it. Talk to your PM and ask about medication for the pain and also for depression. Your Doc will probably prescribe you with something "Breathrough", and chronic pain. Also, if you have a good PM they will make sure that the drug prescribed will also take care of your depression! ALAS! The OxyContin!

reply to post by rogerstigers


st john's wort is actually prescribed in places in europe instead of regular anti-depressants, because it is much cheaper (and some can't afford it) and some studies have shown that it is just as effective, if not more. I'll try to link those studies later,

Originally posted by ofhumandescent
reply to post by Maiden PEI

 

Yes and you are perfectly correct..........exercise helps but only so much. There is a hard wiring, a set medical condition that is very real for many people.

I was trying to be helpful and apologize if it came across as something else.

No need to apologize . . . if you look back, you will notice that I wasn`t responding to anyone`s post as I hadn`t read any about exercise at the time.

I made this post because it is one of my pet peeves that I like to clarify, whenever I can, as part of my effort in being part of the `Solution` rather than the `Problem`.

Thank-you for your kind & understanding reply!

Originally posted by PETROLCOIN

I have clinical depression. Without the aid of medication, my typical day consists of a strong build-up of anxiety throughout the day until it erupts into a full blown panic attack. I suffer from racing thoughts of hopelessness and helplessness. I feel trapped inside my own body and my own mind. I see my world as a prison which I cannot escape. When I am in this state of mind, I see no way out; I see no end; I feel locked in my suffering for the remainder of my life.

edit on 11/7/2010 by PETROLCOIN because: (no reason given)

This is one of the best descriptions of what depression/anxiety truly feels like.

It's really a mental hell. I always try to hide the fact that I take medication for depression from people because of the negative reaction I always get. Only those extremely close to me know... well now you guys do I guess.

reply to post by PETROLCOIN


Of course it is.
The way you worded your thread title however will guarantee many people chiming in opposition, as if you really mean Depression is NOT a Real Disorder.
These will be those who have suffered it or in the field of treatment - so ultimately a biased group.
Effectively, preaching to the choir.

reply to post by Epiphron

I cannot offer you proof or medical evidence of depression being an inheritable gene or trait. It has been suggested to me through various doctors that, that may be the case. I'm sure you can find arguements both for and against this concept throughout the net.
All I can attest to is my reality of the last 54 years. If I could change, I would. If I could snap out of it, I would.
I can get very defensive about this issue and I am making an attempt not to sound that way, but it is difficult. When you fight this mental illness for a life time and you try not to let people know because of the stigma that is attached to it, you can quickly grow weary trying to explain it to people and make them understand.
I spent 10 years in the military and I know what it is to have to fall out of a patroll and hide behind a tree and cry for no apparent reason. I know what it is to go to work and stare out the window for eight hours, hoping that you will not get fired but not blaming them if they did.
I've tried drinking the pain away, medicating the pain away, sleeping the pain away, and even praying the pain away.
If you have not experienced it.....well, I'll just stop there

Clinical depression is brain damage,
Situational depression is a chemical imbalance.

Just because clinical depression can be treated by increasing the amount of certain chemicals in the brain, does not mean a chemical imbalance is the cause.