Depression in the News - 10 Myths About Depression

I saw this article today and wanted to share it with you. There isn't anything original about this. I didn't write it. So I can't really take credit for this.

Top 10 Depression Myths

by Deboray Gray

1. Myth: Depression is not a real medical illness.

Clinical depression is a serious medical condition that affects not only an

individual's mood and thoughts, but also the individual's body. Research has

shown that depression has genetic and biological causes. Individuals coping

with depression have a higher level of stress hormones present in their

bodies, and the brain scans of depression patients show decreased activity

in some areas of the brain.

2. Myth: Even if depression is a medical illness, there's nothing that can be

done about it.

Depression is treatable, and more than 80 percent of individuals with

depressive disorders improve with treatment. As new medications and

treatments are discovered, the number should continue to rise.

The first step to finding effective treatment is to get a physical examination

by a doctor to rule out other causes for your symptoms, such as thyroid

problems. Once you've been diagnosed with depression, you and your

doctor will decide on a course of treatment, which will include medication,

psychotherapy or a combination of both.

3. Myth: Depression is no different from getting the "blues" - and this is just

a normal part of life.

Equating depression with the blues is like saying that a common cold is the

same as pneumonia. Everyone gets the blues or blahs from time to time,

usually in reaction to disappointment or an upsetting event, or sometimes in

reaction to something as simple as a rainy day. But the blues only last a day

or two. Depression, on the other hand, can last a lifetime, and the illness is

much more pervasive and disabling. No one commits suicide because they

have the blues.

4. Myth: People who think they have depression are just feeling sorry for

themselves.

Depression affects about 19 million people annually in the U.S. alone. Some

of the most prominent and well-known individuals who have suffered from a

depressive disorder include Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte,

Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, George Patton,

abolitionist John Brown, Robert E. Lee, Florence Nightingale, Sir Isaac

Newton, Stephen Hawking, Charles Darwin, J.P. Morgan, Barbara Bush,

Ludwig von Beethoven and Michelangelo. Not exactly people who just sit

around feeling sorry for themselves.

5. Myth: You can will depression away. If you can't, then you're weak.

Depression cannot be willed away any more than heart disease or diabetes

can. It's caused by chemical changes in the body, which cannot be

overcome simply by positive thinking and grim determination. Given how

much stigma is still attached to mental illness, seeking help for depression is

an act of courage and strength - not weakness - on your part.

6. Myth: Depression will go away by itself.

For extremely fortunate individuals, depression may go away by itself. But

for the rest of us, depression can hang on for months, years or indefinitely.

Depression can go away on its own, only to return in the future; once an

individual has one episode of depression, they are predisposed to have

more. Clinical depression is a potentially fatal disease - and suicide could be

the end result of waiting for it to go away without any help.

7. Myth: Depression is a normal part of getting older.

Depression is not a normal part of aging, but seniors do generally

experience more of the events that can trigger depression: loss of family and

friends, ill health, isolation and financial worries. Furthermore, people over

the age of 60 grew up in an era in which mental illness was not discussed,

and they may feel more shame about asking for help than someone from a

subsequent generation.

The highest rate of suicide of any age group occurs in that of people 65 and

older, with men being more vulnerable than women. It's imperative that

seniors with depression seek help.

8. Myth: Depression only affects women.

Although women report being affected by depression twice as much as

men, depression certainly affects men as well. Often, clinical depression is

underreported in men, particularly in cultures that discourage them from

asking for help or showing any weakness. Furthermore, men have a higher

rate of successful suicide attempts than women, so it is crucial that men

seek help for their symptoms.

9. Myth: Depression does not affect children or teenagers - their problems

are just a part of growing up.

We'd like to believe that all children experience a happy, carefree childhood,

but that's simply not the case. According to the National Institute of Mental

Health, studies show that 1 in 33 children and 1 in 8 adolescents are

depressed in any given year. Children are not as practiced at articulating

their feelings as adults, so adults must take the initiative to look for and

notice symptoms of depression in children.

10. Myth: If someone in your family suffers from depression, you will inherit

it.

In the same way that you can be genetically predisposed to high blood

pressure or diabetes, you can be genetically predisposed to depression. This

does not mean, however, that if a family member has a history of

depression, you are fated to suffer from it as well. Just be aware that your

chances of having depression are higher than if you had no family history of

the illness, and seek treatment if you start to develop symptoms.

Resource:  Deborah Gray's Blog