Venting "Depression is Treatable"

[LittleJem]

@symphony THIS THIS THIS.

I hate people acting like or pretending there is a way to feel better, when I feel suicidal all day every day. And that is on my current medication which is making me less suicidal than I am without it.

Then they tell me off for using weed, which provides some small relief. All of them are either pig-ignorant or lying. I don't need to be patronised along wiht having to live with the curse of mental illness.

 

[Someone123]

You are supposing it's one or the other, it can be both life circumstances and chemical imbalance. Are all cases of depression chemical imbalances? No, but there are many instances of chemical imbalances, especially in cases of TRD (treatment resistant depression) that life's tragic circumstances have been mitigated or the patient has no underlying external problems and they are still extremely depressed. To think that it's not possible for the brain to be able to malfunction on a genetic level is ridiculous.

I didn't say that the brain couldn't malfunction on a genetic level, but in most cases this isn't the cause of depression- and maybe in all cases. How many people with good solid financial situations who have jobs that they like, who have a loving partner, and who have friends and famjily who really care about them, and who have good physical health, and who do not have any problems with addiction- are depressed? This is almost unheard of. These underlying causes are the causes of depression in virtually all cases. Treatment resistant depression is not necessarily caused by a chemical imblance and it typically isn't- it is typically caused by a person still feeling lonely, that their connections to others are still not enough to make them happy, plus they still don't really like their job, plus they still have issues with some family members- TRD is typically caused by underlying causes that haven't been resolved, though it is possible a chemical imbalance could be a factor, it typically doesn't appear to be the cause- the underlying issues appear to be the underlying cause of the depression. It's a matter of opino when looking at all the facts, if you think chemical imbalances are a main cause of depression you're free to believe that, bhut from what I see I believe something different than that.

 

[KlMeNw]

I didn't say that the brain couldn't malfunction on a genetic level, but in most cases this isn't the cause of depression- and maybe in all cases. How many people with good solid financial situations who have jobs that they like, who have a loving partner, and who have friends and famjily who really care about them, and who have good physical health, and who do not have any problems with addiction- are depressed? This is almost unheard of. These underlying causes are the causes of depression in virtually all cases. Treatment resistant depression is not necessarily caused by a chemical imblance and it typically isn't- it is typically caused by a person still feeling lonely, that their connections to others are still not enough to make them happy, plus they still don't really like their job, plus they still have issues with some family members- TRD is typically caused by underlying causes that haven't been resolved, though it is possible a chemical imbalance could be a factor, it typically doesn't appear to be the cause- the underlying issues appear to be the underlying cause of the depression. It's a matter of opino when looking at all the facts, if you think chemical imbalances are a main cause of depression you're free to believe that, bhut from what I see I believe something different than that.

Actually you're argument is the only one based on an opinion. An opinion that you have to ignore scientific proof in order to believe. And those ppl who have the perfect life who you don't hear about typically come from well to do families who are very good at keeping Blacksheap family members under wraps.

 

[LittleJem]

I didn't say that the brain couldn't malfunction on a genetic level, but in most cases this isn't the cause of depression- and maybe in all cases. How many people with good solid financial situations who have jobs that they like, who have a loving partner, and who have friends and famjily who really care about them, and who have good physical health, and who do not have any problems with addiction- are depressed? This is almost unheard of. These underlying causes are the causes of depression in virtually all cases. Treatment resistant depression is not necessarily caused by a chemical imblance and it typically isn't- it is typically caused by a person still feeling lonely, that their connections to others are still not enough to make them happy, plus they still don't really like their job, plus they still have issues with some family members- TRD is typically caused by underlying causes that haven't been resolved, though it is possible a chemical imbalance could be a factor, it typically doesn't appear to be the cause- the underlying issues appear to be the underlying cause of the depression. It's a matter of opino when looking at all the facts, if you think chemical imbalances are a main cause of depression you're free to believe that, bhut from what I see I believe something different than that.

I know people who were struck by depression in just these situations. One of them - a loving family, great childhood, great job, financially stable, ended up hospitalised for her own safety and with ECT. No life situation explaining why depression hit her out of nowhere and it decimated her life, though unlike me she is still married and still loved by her family, while I have wound up homeless and in a psych ward. I mean she had kids and a long healthy relationship before she was ill, while I have always been mad looking back.

I can be suicidal next to a loving partner, which is one of the reasons why I can't do a healthy relationship.


anyway, here is an article on the suicidal brain to show how cheerful I am today:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-origins-of-suicidal-brains/

 

[Someone123]

I know people who were struck by depression in just these situations. One of them - a loving family, great childhood, great job, financially stable, ended up hospitalised for her own safety and with ECT. No life situation explaining why depression hit her out of nowhere and it decimated her life, though unlike me she is still married and still loved by her family, while I have wound up homeless and in a psych ward. I mean she had kids and a long healthy relationship before she was ill, while I have always been mad looking back.

I can be suicidal next to a loving partner, which is one of the reasons why I can't do a healthy relationship.


anyway, here is an article on the suicidal brain to show how cheerful I am today:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-origins-of-suicidal-brains/

When something co0mes out of nowhere like that they might never find the cause, but that doesn't mean it is necessarily a chemical imbalance. Some cases of things like this are causd by brain tumors. Some cases are caused by long unmet needs that suddenly come together all at once, or from repressed memories- there are various explanantinos. But most cases of depressio are from the main underlying causes that I listed earlier, at least from what I have seen.

 

[LittleJem]

William Churchill?
Other famous depression sufferers?

Mine is the result of genetics and growing up in abusive situation. But on my psych ward are some with such loving families. I agree though that situations also cause depression. I mean 50 per cent of young people now suffer anxiety. That is a terrible statistic. And self harm has become a normal part of growing up according to the news….This world…

 

[LastFlowers]

You are wrong, the brain is infinately complex and because of the crapshoot of genetics a person can be born with any number of physical abnormalities, but everyone is born with a perfect brain?? Your argument is close to pure ignorance.

I am sure there is a spectrum and variation when it comes to the human brain, just as there is the rest of the body and organs, but that doesn't mean these differences are indicative of pathology or "illness", unlike things such as neurodegenerative diseases.
And there is certainly no biological testing being done prior to "mental illness/disorder" diagnosis in order to solidify the notion that certain groups or people fall into some type or category inherently.

 

[Wannagonow]

I've been seeing doctors and therapists for my bipolar disorder for over 30 years. In all that time I have experienced only little to moderate relief for the depression side. People who are bipolar can't take anti-depressants as it can push us into a wicked manic phase. I may have a few environmental issues that add to the depression. But those are few and not what causes the depressive side of my bipolar. I believe the human brain is not perfect. There are many illnesses caused by brain chemistry, function (whatever). I can't just turn inward and will myself to not be bipolar or depressed. If I could I would have long ago. Been there done that with ECT. Did 2 rounds, totalling 6 weeks worth of sessions. I am aware there are people here who do not agree at all with what I'm saying. That's okay. Always good to hear (and sometimes learn from) a different viewpoint. If I had noticed this thread is from last June, before I started writing, I wouldn't have posted. It's already run it's course. Sorry.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I'm also curious as to what they mean by 'recovered'. Are all those people 'happy'? Or at least- moderately so? I just think a lot are simply functional again- ie. well enough to work and pay taxes.

Maybe some people do make a full recovery- great- good for them. Does 'recovered' also include those on long term/permanent medication and therapy though? If they stop taking them- will they continue to be 'recovered'? If you break your leg and then have to spend the rest of your life on crutches- is that a success?

I don't know. I suspect some cases are a success but I doubt it's as many as they claim. Plus- I agree- where is the acknowledgement that some people don't get better? When can they even call it quits? What are they supposed to do? Just keep taking the pills?

 

[lost&lonely]

Even years into unsuccessful treatment after unsuccessful treatment this is literally all I hear. All anyone ever wants to talk about is how the majority of people respond to antidepressants! And therapy is even more effective! And failing that, the majority of people respond to ECT!

I had 24 sessions of ECT, twice a week, and it certainly didn't help me.

 

[thereisthemist]

lost cases are just lost

 

[lionetta12]

Even years into unsuccessful treatment after unsuccessful treatment this is literally all I hear. All anyone ever wants to talk about is how the majority of people respond to antidepressants! And therapy is even more effective! And failing that, the majority of people respond to ECT!

Yeah, okay, and that's great. If someone has depression and is encouraged by those stats and gets help and recovers, I will always celebrate that. But like, what about the rest of us? Do we just not exist? I've just about never seen anyone honestly acknowledge that some people maybe just don't or can't recover from depression. It's only implicitly acknowledged by phrasing these statements as "the majority of people recover" vs "all people recover". Even in the context of treatment resistant depression, the discussion is always centered around treatments that are really super effective and great and innovative - not the reality of life for people who try treatment after treatment after treatment and at the end of it all are left suffering all the same but with a less hope and less money.

There's no talk about the people who just get left behind. I guess at some point it's not worth bothering. We're a lost cause to just about everyone except perhaps TRD researchers. Beyond that? I've had multiple mental health professionals tell me in one way or another that they don't know what to do with me anymore, my options left are pretty bottom of the barrel. I just get told to keep going to therapy, they throw more meds at me, even sometimes recommend I try ECT a second time. Like there's some implication that if I've done everything they've recommended and still not gotten better, it must be my fault, I should just get over myself and suck it up and live through the pain.

But it gets better, depression is treatable, hope is just a phone call away~

Once you realise that there's no help, treatment or anything else for people that have tried everything, the thought of staying alive feels pointless. Especially when health providers keep telling you that there's nothing else that can be tried or to be done, that you're a lost cause and you just have to get used to living with this pain forever.

 

[vultureilse]

some people just dont want to accept that not everyone can be saved. i always get told that itll get better, that therapy will help, ill eventually find the right meds that work but none of that is ever true. ive been trying various treatments since i was 10 and nothing has ever worked yet people still repeat the same bullshit to me. it wont get better