All people who are depressed are just self absorbed and need to get over.

So you really think that psychiatrists and doctors are all just making it up when they study mood disorders do you? It's all just a matter of will power and that people just need to buck up and put on a happy face and that they can overcome depression? Let me tell you something sweetheart, that kind of thinking is so dangerous that it can actually KLLL people. I had a cousin who was 2 years old than me who was clinically depressed and was supposed to be taking anti-depressants but he didn't like them becaus of the stigma associated with depression, created by people like you. One night he took a walk on a bridge in Vancouver 2 years ago, and he jumped off. So you just tell yourself whatever it is that *you* need to to get by in life, but don't even think that you are in any position to proscribe to others how to cope with a medical condition that you obviously have no background knowledge or training in. And where it's clear that you have not studied a damn thing about, Clinical depression is real, it is common and it kills people. When people have that chemical imbalance in their brain they are hot capable of thinking rationally because they do not percieve the world rationally. It's got nothing to do with being "selfish". It's a disease like any other that is easily treated with medication like any other. If a diabetic went into a coma every once in a while because their blood sugar levels got out of whack would you consider THAT to be selfish too?

this sort of question really annoys me. Depression is one of the most serious mental disorders on the planet, we still do not fully understand what causes it but we do know it is a debilitating condition that needs medical care not patronising. If it could all be cured by snapping out of it, pulling ourselves together or by stop being so selfish it would have been cured years ago. I do wish people would go and learn something about their subject before opening discussions like this

First of all, depression IS A DISEASE, just like any other. It kills people, and its not something you can just take a pill for and it goes away. I have depression, have had it for several years, and I DONT sit and wallow in self pity like you seem to think depressed people do all day. I work, i get out and have to stay on medication to treat it. I also have a parent who has heart problems that I help as well. So to stereotype depressed people as selfish dweebs that do nothing all day but whine is STUPID! You have no idea how this affects people, just the stuff you see on tv obviously. Before you post on a topic, GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT FIRST.

Your words are very upsetting to me right now. I suffer from bipolar which means I have both episodes of depressions and manic. Manic means you are really high. I have shown symtoms of it since I was 17 and was diagnosed 5 years ago after a sucide attempt. What drove me to the attempt, I was swinging between depression and manic so fast I didn't know where I stood. Right now I am in a depressive state. I take all my medications that my pshchiatrists prescribes but sometimes I still get depressed or manic. I have to wonder if you don't know the difference between clincal depression and situational depression. Situational depression is where someone may feel depressed for a day or two even up too a couple of weeks. If continues on for a month then it is clincial depression. You need to see a therapist or a doctor. I don't think I am being selfish because I am depressed right now. I try and function the best I can. I am very tired and experience alot of physical pain due to the depression but I still grocery shop, cook for my kids and other things. Yes I have been hospitalized 4 times in the past 5 years but that was very neccessary at the time as I was extremely depressed. There is a genetic link to depression and bipolar. So most days I don't sit around saying woe is me but there are days I feel pretty darn down. I think you need to do some research on mental illness. Being able to tell people that you suffer from a mental illness is hard enough but with people with attitudes like yours it makes it even harder. I am very sorry you feel the way you do and I hope that you never suffer from depression. I don't know if you have kids but alot of women suffer from post partum depression after they have kids, so that is something that could also be in your future. Brooke Shields was very forthcoming with her struggle with it.

you've got me depressed just reading your posting :(

CheckNitout, Let me guess... someone in your family is depressed? I'm sorry you're suffering because of their mental illness. Unfortunately, depressed people can't just "cure" themselves by thinking of people who have it worse. You asked someone to "enlighten" you instead of just telling you you're wrong, so here's my story: I became increasingly depressed over the past year. Some bad things happened, but I knew that I was sadder than I should be. I knew I was depressed... but that didn't make me feel any less miserable. In fact, *nothing* made me feel any less miserable. Except, ultimately, antidepressants. Yes, while I was depressed I thought about the "bad things" in my life. But that didn't make me depressed... I thought about them BECAUSE I was depressed. Once I was taking medication, I did in fact "get over it." Because depression is an ILLNESS, not just a mood. Is your family member (or whoever) seeing a psychiatrist? Taking medication? If so, how long have they been on it? It does take a while to "kick in," but if it's been more than a month or two, it's probably time to try another kind -- not every medication works for everyone.

You obviously know nothing about depression. Depression isn't always about something that happened to someone. Depression doesn't even have a reason much of the time. It just hits! When it first hit me, nothing bad had happened in my life, nothing bad was going on. There was no reason for it. I was not self absorbed about anything. So what was I supposed to get over? Someone that is truly clinically depressed can not just get over it. Someone with true depression needs help from a mental help professional -- they may need medication or therapy or both, but the very last thing that they need is to be told to get over it.

well as u said people must think that they have better things to do in life but the sad thing is that u do not realize that no one does it to gain attention or for fun. its a mental abnormality caused by trauma and people get depressed when they can not cpe up with the trauma. so instead of calling them selfish learn to put yourself in other's shoes and have compassion for them.

well, let me ask you this question....Have YOU ever been depressed before? i mean there are different stages of depression, some like you say, are just cured by talking it out and just getting over it..those are simpler stage. they range from that to the sever which means the chemical inbalace in your brain. people who are depressed look at the world differently then others. they don't always think about themselves. some people who are depressed often think that the world is judging them. that no matter how much the work or how much they try, nothing will help them. i went into a slight depression because things were comming at me from all sides. i was spreading myself too thin, trying to please everyone around me and that caused me to NOT think about myself, neglect myself because everytime i TRIED to take some time to make myself happy, i would have other pushing me down saying i needed to help them....unless you felt depression, its hard to understand why people can't get out.

well depression is not such a small thing that it can be cured with being less selfish.it sometimes takes the life of its victims too.its not very easy to forget the thing which is making you depressed cause often such things are of immense importance in the victims life.ista not so easy shedding that thought just like that. but it will be a good thing if people can really treat their problems like that and if thinks your way and there would be much more happy people in the world.

And your medical degree comes from where exactly?

I'm going to assume you have yet to meet a situation in your life that has kicked you to the ground. Some depression is situational and I am more than willing to allow someone who has lost a spouse or child to deather wallow in a dark room for as long as they like. Life can be hard and emotions are only so resiliant. Other people do indeed have a chemical imbalance. There are people who tell htemsleves it is ok, they are fine, I want to be happy, ...but chemically it is close to imposible for their seratonin levels to secrete at normal levels in thier brain. Is that them being selfish? How foolish to even assume that is the case.

Well sorry but even 'I' feel depressed. And zi feel you are right to some extent. We are selfish. Te root of all the problems is expectations. We expect so much from everyone around us. Yes, we all need to get over this!

I was diagnosed with depression when I was about nine or so. That's about the same time my parents were going through a divorce. It wasn't anything bad, just a long time in divorce court to get everything settled. However, my parents noticed that the sudden changes were affecting me severely. From what I can remember, I felt trapped in a whirlwind and couldn't get it to stop. I got therapy, and with help, I was able to live a normal life, most of the time. The thing is, depressed persons know there's something wrong with them, but they just don't know how to make the depression stop. For me, I try to make up for my depressed days by helping out my family and friends, like getting my brother to and from school (the brat!), and lending a good ear for my frinds troubles. Quite frankly, I do feel a bit selfish in the aftermath of the days when I just can't get out of bed because the thought of getting up is just too much. I'm not going to let those days become everyday life, I want to be more than my disease.

Also, may I add that Depression is also genetic. My ancestors on both of my mom and dad's side of the family have been diagnosed with Depression. It can be a disease like any other. And I had contracted it. I was given anti-depressants my junior year in high school - I was only 13 years old! And I was so confused about it. My level of Depression might not have been very high because I'm a happier person now, but I could be at the risk of Post-Partum Depression. Anything can change at the drop of a hat.

Depression is not something you can just "snap out of." It's caused by an imbalance of brain chemicals, along with other factors. Like any serious medical condition, depression needs to be treated.

the mental stress can be even due to hereditery reasons

who os not depressed nowadays? the problem is we do not face ourselves with the reason we do not face it

Excuse me, but you can't "cure" depression by being a little less selfish. You can't "cure" a chemical imbalance with being less selfish. That's just being a complete idiot on your part. You need psycho-therapy and medication to help a chemical imbalance. What goes on in your brain, can't be "cured" by just acting differently. Educate yourself before going out in public and sounding like an idiot next time.

I think that the root of depression is what's important to take a look at. Maybe people who are depressed aren't walking their path in life and they know it. It's hard to get excited about life when a person doesn't know what or where their place is in the planet. Something to think about.