I was depressed for several years and people tended to shy away from me. I suspect it had to do with them not knowing about it or not knowing how to help. What do you think? Is it fear of the unknown, or what?
2006-07-19 01:48:00 · 8 answers · asked by Mr. Peachy® 7 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Polls & Surveys
Great answers, so far. It's going to be difficult to pick the best one tomorrow.
2006-07-19 02:00:20 · update #1
While depression is not a communicable disease, a negative and depressed attitude is contagious which does make people, even people that care about you, shy away.
The people we interact with and are closest to affect us and having to deal with a mentally ill person can be frustrating and exhausting as you want to help, try to help and there really nothing you can do other than try to stay positive and not be brought down yourself. Therapists have years of training to stay focused, objective and have learned to ask the right questions to get to the root of a problem and then help you find a solution to deal with it. The rest of us are well meaning and supportive, but we are usually too close to the situation to see it clearly.
2006-07-19 01:57:16 · answer #1 · answered by bottleblondemama 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Fear of the unknown. Wishing you could help in some way but feeling helpless because you don't know what to say to "fix the person". Most of us don't know how to relate to mentally-challenged people. We have the idea that they just might be dangerous and you have to be careful what you say to them because it might "set them off". You don't always know what is going on in the mind of a mentally-challenged person so you think its best to shy away rather than try to make conversation.
2006-07-19 01:56:28 · answer #2 · answered by December Princess 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People that are mentally ill cannot help themselves. It makes me so mad when people treat them bad or ignore them. My grandma owned a school for the mentally disabled years ago when I was a kid. She lived about an hour away, but Mom and I always went to see her at the school once a week. So I grew up around the disabled. They were always so kind and sweet to me! I loved it there. They are still people, people with feelings. They still need love and support. I most definately don't shy away or feel uncomfortable around them.
2006-07-19 02:18:03 · answer #3 · answered by save_me_now 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The flip (and untrue) answer is that I don't shy away from them cause most of the folks in my life fit that category. The truth is, as you suspect, it's often difficult to know how to help. Truth also is, that they are more afraid of you than the reverse and showing care and concern never hurts.
2006-07-19 01:59:39 · answer #4 · answered by DelK 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No because I would never see anyone I love!My daughter is Bi-polar and my best friend has Tourettes,I am adhd,but yes ignorant people actually think they can catch it and they think all mentally ill people are dangerous pshycotics!
2006-07-19 01:52:47 · answer #5 · answered by Cherokee 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well they shy away from me because they think me an idiot.
2006-07-19 01:51:26 · answer #6 · answered by Sweetlemonman 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't discriminate - I shy away from ALL people!
2006-07-19 01:51:39 · answer #7 · answered by angelbaby 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I did, would I be on THIS site?
2006-07-19 01:51:31 · answer #8 · answered by wmp55 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋