Why do people throw the word 'Depression' around so easily?

Question

Depression is a serious illness and yet so many people who have moments of low times, talk depression. The word is thrown around like confetti. It really annoys me.
Depression is not something that comes and goes, you have to work at keeping things together, every day of you life.
Almost like an alcaholic, you have to take each day as it comes. You may feel up today and plan to go out tomorrow, but by tomorrow, you may be low again.
So please folks, stop using the word, unless you really are a sufferer.

Phantom - Yes there are a lot of lonely, ill and depressed people on here. I am not talking about any individual/s, I'm talking generally.
I suffer and the internet has done me the world of good and I would never begrudge anyone that.

Answer 1

I have just been diagnosed with depression by my GP and have found the people on this site very supportive to me and how i feel, depression is an illness and lots of people do suffer from it, young and old. I have to work at everything each day, nothing is easy not even going out. I do think its important like you said for people to be careful not to use this word too much and make it invaluable!!

Answer 2

First, I agree that the word depression is used too often to describe people who are only suffering with the ups and downs of a normal healthy life. However, to say that "Depression is not something that comes and goes" is 100% wrong, wrong, wrong. I live my life every day with Bipolar Disorder, previously called Manic-Depressive, and it is exactly what you said depression is not. It is sometimes depressed, sometimes manic with periods of normal mood in between. This is not the only mental disorder to have an individual that drifts in and out of depression and normal mood. Many others do the same thing. Yes it takes a great deal of work to remain in a healthy state, even while on drug therapy. I hope this clears up a few things for you.

Cindy, said "I believe if someone really has depression, they would not be asking for help on here." Well, that doesn't make sense, because most people that really do need help are afraid to see a professional or even talk to friends and family about it. They are afraid they will be labeled as crazy. So they come here and ask strangers. You can remain unknown here, so it feels real safe. Sounds very logical to me.
Sincerely,
Terry
E-mail: [e-mail]

Visit "Our Bipolar World" my personal website at:
http://www.ourbipolarworld.com/

Answer 3

I don't think you're necessarily right when you say the term is "thrown around like confetti" - I think that it's just that nowadays, it's a recognised medical problem and people are not ashamed to admit they have depression problems. In the past, there was the "Oh for God's sake, pull yourself together" mentality which, obviously, put off a lot of people from being able to discuss their problems. There are degrees of depression anyway - and just because one person is as low as they could go, it doesn't make someone with lesser depression any less entitled to use the phrase - it's like a small cancerous lesion is not as terrible as someone requiring a total mastectomy, but it's still cancer.

Answer 4

First let me say that I had "major recurrent depression" (doctor's official diagnosis) more commonly known as: clinical depression for nearly five years. So I'm not just frivolously throwing this answer out there.

Depression has many meanings besides the three or four mental disorders including dysthymia, postpartum depression, melancholia, and, of course, clinical depression. To ask people to stop using the D word is not going to help. May I suggest trying to understand that most people will never know the pain and suffering of clinically depressed folks. Hence their attitude of "Why don't you just get over it?". To use your example of alcoholism (BTDT, too), "normies" will never get it, so to expect them to understand is not productive. Instead, direct your efforts away from those who don't understand to those that do. When I was in therapy, I found it comforting to talk to others with similar problems. Trying to help each other through listening, understanding, and offering helpful suggestions went a long way toward getting through the day while avoiding some of the misery of wanting to die all the time.

After I found my way out of depression and alcoholism, I thanked God for saving me from certain doom, and promised to try and help others find their way out as my way of thanking Him. (I wasn't a big believer until realizing how close I'd come to dying and what a miracle life really is). I put together a little webpage last year with some helpful links at the bottom of the page. Instead of trying to get normal folks to understand, you would probably do better to join one or all of the forums I mention. They will listen to you and understand. Most YA folks will never "get it", and will miss your point completely.

Here's my webpage, if you're interested:
http://www.geocities.com/seabulls69/AntidepressantThatWorks.html

Answer 5

according to official statistics 1in 10 of the adult population suffers from depression at any one time, with the chance of any individual suffering during their lifetime being 1 in 4 to 1 in 6, with 1 in 20 of these being severe. Perhaps the reason why the word is thrown around is because the disease is now recognised for what it is. I have suffered depression on several occasion, on one of these it was deemed severe and I can tell you that depression does appear to the uninitiated to come and go, because sufferers have good and bad days just like anyone else and also many of us find ways of portraying themselves as normal just to avoid prejudice from people who haven't got a clue.

Answer 6

melancholy runs in my family contributors and that i replaced into continuously careful to no longer use the be conscious. yet regrettably it have been given me too like an unpleasant little monster. i'm 25 and that i've got been positioned on persistent anti-depressants. people use the be conscious by way of fact it completely describes how they sense yet via utilising it they generalise and make melancholy appear like some thing that comes and is going. some people do get melancholy for a quick quantity of time and a few have all of it their lives. You get categories of melancholy. once you wreck up with somebody, while somebody passes away, once you get your era or once you're unhappy in college or artwork or maybe once you progression you may get depressed. some people do merely no longer choose for help. to each their very own. melancholy could be emotional, hormonal or chemical. it is why some people's melancholy bypass and others do no longer. So my suggestion is that as quickly as somebody says that to you, prepare them some empathy and take it on your stride. it is going to recommend the international to that person while heshe feels that somebody is making an attempt to understand what they're dealing with. looking forward to Easter - going to spend it with my husband and surely going to church to remind myself what Easter is all approximately! appreciate.

Answer 7

Well, I think we are experiencing clinical, bipolar, etc, etc depression, whereas other parts of the population just say that they are depressed when they feel down. Just like in the past they used to call a mental breakdown a nervous breakdown. I don't think it's much different than the difference of when I am in mania and a "normal" (no such thing) person having a really happy, productive day! Know what I mean.....

Answer 8

I agree people need to experience real prescribed depression by a doctor, or live close by to somebody who is. As real depression is so different to being blue and down its like your being pushed down and you cant pick yourself up. You cant sleep properly you have no motivation which some people may class this at laziness i can assure you this is not. Your appetite is out of the window your libido or interests is closey behind. Your physical apperance suffer so does relationships/friendships so yes i wish people realises what real depression is.

Answer 9

hehehe. emo. hahaha. sorry. i think a lot of people throw around the word "depression" for the same reason anyone throws a word around - it's called seeking attention. some people want attention and feel they need to say they're depressed and blah blah blah. i agree that depression should work at keeping things together. i take life a day at a time. it's one thing i've learned in the military. you can't keep counting the days until you get out of basic training - that would depress anyone, but if you take it a day at a time, things are brighter, you're more focused, and the days go by so much quicker. i'll admit i do get depressed, but i never say i suffer from depression because i don't. for those who are like me and have normal ups and downs, we are in control of ourselves because we don't have a chemical imbalance. i believe the mind and using it can cause good for oneself - especially when it comes to moods. positive thinking, meditation, "cleaning out the closet" when you re-evaluate your life and get rid of physical and mental habits that don't do you any good. perhaps what's making us depressed is our take on the world. we can't change it but what we can do is adapt to it. let things roll off your backs and don't let it effect you.

Answer 10

There are various levels of depression that affect people in different ways.Some people will refer to themseves as depressed when really they are just feeling low or have the blues for a short period of time.Clinical depression is by far much more serious and prolonged and very disabling.I feel for you as i too have suffered prolonged periods of depression and have thought that nobody else could possibly be feeling like i do but every one feels it for themseves and who am i to judge.It is the depression itself that can make us angry and resentful towards others as we would give our eye teeth to be able to have some sense of normality in our lives.I have been quite jealous of freinds who have down days as i know for them it will be short lived and resolved.You are not alone but i wish you peace.