Do people with a mental illness like depression ever feel like there is a stigma out there that you are dumb?

Question

I do!

Answer 1

I agree with you. It ticks me off. I have issues but I don't need people talking to me like I'm slow or something...yet this is what they do. Like they may startle me somehow if they talk to loud and I might grab an ax and go mad.

I often wish that no one knew about my problems...I'm a normal and INTELLIGENT person...some people just don't understand.

Edit: I blame ignorance...

Answer 2

I think there are 3 camps of people out there.

1. People that recognize and understand what depression is and how it affects people.
2. People that dont care and will never go out of their way to educate themselves on this disorder
3. People believe the absolute worse perceptions of people with depression.

When I was younger my sister started dating a guy that was on Prozac (the baby aspirin of psychotropic drugs) and I remember that I was very concerned and worried that he was going to kill her. ( I am serious) Now, I chuckle and laugh at that observation because 1) they have been married over 10 years and no homicidal tendencies have been noticed... ha ha... He is doing well with his meds.. and 2) I received my Masters in Counseling and now I work with people that suffer all differnet kinds of disorders mild and severe.

I know that the people I work with feel that there is a stigma attached to it. I find that the people that do better with this are the ones that are knowledgeable about their disorder. You have to look at it as if you have diabetes, you have to do a "mental health check" "Take your meds" let your MD know what is working and what is not working and commit to "TALK THERAPY"

I have also found that the people I work with have to change meds or the dosage because our bodies change. The biggest thing is to make sure you keep taking your meds.. You know that already..

But, to really answer your question... I don't think that people with depression are dumb As a matter of fact, some of the greatest leaders, singers, visionaries were clinically depressed. Perhaps to be so creative a person has to experience depression? I dunno...

Answer 3

Yeah... I get so mad at myself sometimes...I keep thinking that secretly i'm just really dumb. but no, I know I'm not and I think the problem with alot of people who are healthy is that they just don't get it. Like if babies never got hurt they wouldn't ever stop falling down. If you've never been depressed, then you have no idea, what it's really about. In some ways I'm really glad that I got depressed because it's made me such a more understanding person. I used to think that depressed people were a bunch of moping losers, but thats really not true. Anyways I think being depressed makes you much wiser in the long run, not stupid at all.

Answer 4

What makes me feel rather dumb is not so much a stigma of the condition.
Rather it is the symptoms that give people the impression that I have more difficulties functioning than most people do. Because it is true.

-A Beautiful Mind, the movie tells it best.

Answer 5

Ofcourse! People who don't understand what you're going through never believe you. There aren't any obvious physical side effects, so they tend to think you're exaggerating. I don't know if I percieve them as thinking me dumb, but I do see a lot of people rolling their eyes. I get lots of questions like, "Well can't you just do this or that?" They don't understand, and since they don't understand they mark you off their list as stupid, over dramatic or a lier. But I really think peoples' perceptions are changing for the better.

Answer 6

Yes, because people dont understand. Depression can be many things, including a bodily imbalance. So yes, I do think there is a stigma. Same thing as in AIDS, gay people have AIDS, so you must be deserving of it. Little do they know that a ton of people contracted AIDS through transfusions.

Answer 7

yes!! and it really makes my life miserable. u see, i'm quite ok n mentally stable now. i didnt have my depressed episodes for about 4 months now. (i'm a rapid-cycling bipolar disorder sufferer) i guess this year im a bit lucky. my episodes nowadays are quite short n mild. but still there are times when i hit the bottom really hard. and people tend to think of me as a slow, dumb, anti-social, emotional *****. it realy does sucks actually. so hun, ure not the only one...take good care of yerself...

Answer 8

Unfortunately yes. My brother was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a young adult. He is a gifted artist and architect but with the meds he takes - he is unable to work. People who don't know him often treat him as if he is learning disabled or mentally retarded. As ignorant as some people can be, its best to politely explain to them that you are very bright and like many other people - you are dealing with a problem which doesn't effect your intelligence.

Answer 9

I think so. People think that because you have a problem you are a certain way. It is worse when you have a physical disability and depression.

Answer 10

yes, unfortunately they do. Until they go through it personally, they tend to not understand what it really is. I know because i used to think the same way until it happened to me.