Discussion Depression is a choice

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What's your thoughts on this phrase? I read this recently in an article.

 

[Symbiote]

The person that wrote that should be strung up on their balls and smothered with honey and fire ants.

 

[Deleted member 23374]

It's idiotic.

 

[Nyxtus]

Absolutely ridiculous, and completely out of touch. Something like that had to have been written by somebody who has never personally had to struggle with depression.

I have had depression my entire life. People would constantly tell me to go work, to try harder, get therapy get on medication. Practice more healthy habits, seek out help. It varied in terms of effectiveness, but that depression NEVER went away even in the best of times. Sure, there are some depressed people that give in to their condition, do nothing and continue to wallow in self-loathing hatred or acceptance. There are also a TON of depressed people in every-day society that you would never guess because they're trying their absolute best. Yeah, let's all just flick our magical "stop fucking being depressed" switch.

To tell these people it's "a choice" is so absolutely laughable and patronizing and is exactly why we have such a suicide issue in my country (United States). Let's keep downplaying mental illness and depression and act surprised, hurt and shocked when people kill themselves.

 

[AutoTap]

Ok, good I'm glad I'm not the only one who was like WTF?? Bc lots of people in the comments there agreed. Think it was on Quora.

 

[BitterlyAlive]

... I have mixed feelings on it. I can kind of see what they're saying, in my case. I've had many suggestions over the years on how I can manage it better and make things easier for myself. But do I make myself do these things? Nope. So while I didn't choose to be this way, I'm not really trying to make things better for myself.

 

[Symbiote]

A former therapist told me repeatedly that "Depression is a choice, try switching your brain to be positive and life won't be so difficult..." Not sure why she said it...maybe because of my age at the time and that she thought I was going through a phase or haven't experienced real life stuff yet. It did set a precedent where I felt guilty for being sad, and ashamed for feeling the way I do with no reason or thought on why.

 

[Kat!]

Mental illness can be affected by your mentality, like "I give up" versus "I will overcome this".
But that doesn't mean a chemical imbalance or brain damage is a "choice".

 

[CoalmineCanary]

 

[ecmnesia]

lol been wishing to get free from it for years. guess this option is not available for me sadly. i wonder...is the universe bullying me?

 

[Lupgevif]

Factually wrong.

 

[demuic]

Said by the drones who want to keep you a slave to society, working you to death for as long as they can.

The people who "don't try" to overcome their depression have a lot of the time realized the futility and absurdity of this existence, and decided they want no part of it. But other begrudge them for not following along with the herd and doing their part as a cog in society, as if they wished to be here in the first place.

 

[AutoTap]

A former therapist told me repeatedly that "Depression is a choice, try switching your brain to be positive and life won't be so difficult..." Not sure why she said it...maybe because of my age at the time and that she thought I was going through a phase or haven't experienced real life stuff yet. It did set a precedent where I felt guilty for being sad, and ashamed for feeling the way I do with no reason or thought on why.

That's what my therapist tells me lol

 

[NightmareTour]

It just sounds like something that someone who has never experienced depression or been close to someone who has would say.

It's not even just a mentality thing either, and saying that is almost as bad. Some people try hard to succeed through their depression, and just get dragged down anyway. How badly you're impacted by your depression doesn't correlate with how hard you tried to overcome it. It's an illness, you can't just will it away if you believe hard enough or whatever pseudo-inspritational lines people are using now. I hate that it's still common within circles where people are aware of mental illness to tell people that they're not trying hard enough and are "wallowing in their depression". Nobody chooses how bad their depression is, and years and years of struggling with no help DOES exhaust people and drag them further down into anhedonia and apathy.

 

[Ghost2211]

If it was an option why would anyone choose to feel awful all the time.

 

[sadworld]

Why would someone say that it's a choice? There would be no depressed people in the world if it would be a choice...

 

[shay23]

a very ignorant way of viewing genuine struggle

 

[dropdeadfred]

a very ignorant way of viewing genuine struggle

& Damaging, which is a result of ignorance.
I would like to challenge this author/individual: so when someone chooses to "not be depressed", fights hard against it (lifestyle/dietary changes, therapy, exercise- you know, the common ones), & they still result as depressed... Then what? They're making it up? They're choosing it after all of that hard work/continued hard work? GTFO out of here with that nonsense.

 

[mahakaliSS_MahaDurga]

... I have mixed feelings on it. I can kind of see what they're saying, in my case. I've had many suggestions over the years on how I can manage it better and make things easier for myself. But do I make myself do these things? Nope. So while I didn't choose to be this way, I'm not really trying to make things better for myself.

Same. What happened to your avatar?

 

[AutoTap]

& Damaging, which is a result of ignorance.
I would like to challenge this author/individual: so when someone chooses to "not be depressed", fights hard against it (lifestyle/dietary changes, therapy, exercise- you know, the common ones), & they still result as depressed... Then what? They're making it up? They're choosing it after all of that hard work/continued hard work? GTFO out of here with that nonsense.

Exactly! Some people just don't understand and make it worse

 

[BitterlyAlive]

Same. What happened to your avatar?

Got rid of it.

 

[dropdeadfred]

Got rid of it.

You have decided to wear black is what I thought.

 

[BitterlyAlive]

You have decided to wear black is what I thought.

I mean, does anyone ever truly move on from their emo phase? :p

 

[mahakaliSS_MahaDurga]

I mean, does anyone ever truly move on from their emo phase? :p

I liked the old one better. I hate when things change, lol.

 

[BitterlyAlive]

I liked the old one better. I hate when things change, lol.

Yeah, sorry, I've just not been in the mood for the otter lately. :/ I'll change it back at some point.

 

[mahakaliSS_MahaDurga]

Yeah, sorry, I've just not been in the mood for the otter lately. :/ I'll change it back at some point.

It's fine.

 

[esse_est_percipi]

The person who wrote this obviously has absolutely no idea what depression is.
I suspect depression is as foreign to them as compassion is to a psychopath.

not to get too technical/pedantic, but since free will is probably an illusion, nothing is really a choice. Things happen, we have thoughts, perceptions and emotions, we act and react, but we really have no idea what's going on and we're not in control of anything, though it makes us feel better to believe that we are (and that belief is not a choice either).

 

[Craig31ldn]

So many contributing factors.For some people it would then mean pretending to be happy, which i think is extremely hard. You cant always fake it till you make it.

 

[VivaldiBR]

Can you post the article?

What's your thoughts on this phrase? I read this recently in an article.

 

[justsad&done]

A former therapist told me repeatedly that "Depression is a choice, try switching your brain to be positive and life won't be so difficult..." Not sure why she said it...maybe because of my age at the time and that she thought I was going through a phase or haven't experienced real life stuff yet. It did set a precedent where I felt guilty for being sad, and ashamed for feeling the way I do with no reason or thought on why.

I can without a doubt relate - being made to feel guilty for my sadness and feeling like I need to pretend to be okay because those around me don't want to deal with me. They seem to think I can turn my depression on and off at will.