Depression becoming an EXCUSE?

[GuidoHunter]

Depression isn't some kind of disease that once you get it you've got it forever.

Plenty of people would jump at the chance to refute you. If it's not considered a disease why are there so many medications out there for it?

Oh, and ayane wasn't secretive about her cutting at all, and getting her friends involved was one of the best things to get her to stop.

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[sleeplessdragn]

The thinking behind the act of cutting varies widely depending on the person and how they feel about themselves and what they feel others are thinking about them. What must be understood is that cutting is not always a sign of depression, but the two can be connected.

The most common cause of self-infliction is due to an extreme internal feeling of pain and a desire to portray that pain physically, as a sort of release. Others feel that it is necessary to cut because internally they believe that pity can grow from such an act, and this form of thinking involves low self-esteem and a need for attention. Guido, getting friends involved is sometimes not such a good thing to do, because it matters greatly on what the motive to cut was. Involving other people can sometimes add to the fire, since it may cause feelings of insecruity. However, realizing and accepting the problem, and then going to counseling always has positive results.

And depression is considered a mental disease, and just like certain cancers, it is possible to be treated; yet untreated it can easily become worse.

[hatakikakashi]

Ok One just because there is medication for it, doesn't make it a disease. Two, that wasn't the point I was making. The point I was trying to get across in that sentence is that depression comes and goes, It's not a CONSTANT INCUREABLE disease that you will have FOREVER If I were to say AIDS isn't a disease that you know you have right after you contract it. I wouldn't be saying that aids isn't a disease.

[hEaLiNgViSiOnAnGeLicMiX]

Wow I thought this this thread died ages ago. Guess not, but I have something to add to it...to give you more info on "Kathy"

As I had said in the first post, Kathy chose the topic of 'Depression' for her french speech. She presented this speech on Monday. The way she spoke... it just really... confused me. She called it "My Story of Depression" At the beginning she spoke briefly of what depression is, what the symptoms may appear to be, how to get help, etc. Then she spoke of her 'own experience' with deprsesion. It was...so awkward(sp?) She said hte following.

"Quelques fois, j'ai caché mes pillules dans mes tirroirs parce que je ne voulais pas accepter que j'avais une 'maladie!" Mais plus tard, mon dépression est devenue plus pire, et ma mère a trouvé toute les médicaments que j'ai caché!"

Meaning: "Sometimes, I would hide my pills in the my droors because I just didn't want to acept hte fact that I was 'sick'. But later on, my depression became worse, and soon enough my mother found the pills that I had hidden away." This started to make me think that...maybe she really DOES have some sort of serious depression? If she refused to accept the fact that she was depressed, and this whole 'depression' issue was just in her mind, why would it seem to her that her symptoms had worsened?

At the same time, her voice and expression confused me more. She was HAPPY and SMILING. I've known Kathy all my life almost, I've competed with her on multiple occasions during oratory contests. She normally uses the ton of voice that would show how she feels about whatever topic she is talking about. Her expression this time? HAPPINESS. As she spoke the words I quoted above (and pretty much the rest of the speech) she was smiling, not only that but she would not help but throw out a small chuckle or giggle.

It's just that to me...she seemed way to happy to be talking about what she was going through. What you guys said about 'telling people and getting help' was right, but if this is her way of 'asking for help' I personally interpret it as "HEY I'M DEPRESSED WANNA HELP ME?! YEAH I REALLY NEED HELP! PLEASE?! :d" I just don't get it.

[hatakikakashi]

suffering from depression(the disease) doesn't mean your sad all the time. You can laugh and have fun too.

[Snowcraftanyo]

I really see nothing wrong with being depressed. It's bound to happen, and all of us experiance it. As for attention-whoring, it comes from a resonable perspective. Meaning, when your down, blue, alone, you ust want people to know your there, so openly displaying it is alright, as long as it isnt an OH LOOK AT ME! fashon. So my overall thoughts are depression is alright in the right times. But dont abuse it.

[GuidoHunter]

It's bound to happen, and all of us experiance it.

No.

First off, not everyone suffers from depression. As for just being down every once and a while, I haven't felt bad in I-don't-know-how-long, which is at least seven years, but probably longer.

--Guido

http://andy.mikee385.com

[sleeplessdragn]

Many teenagers mistake hormones for depression. This is why I am always skeptical when someone says they in fact are depressed. While many may feel "depressed" if their dog dies, in a few weeks they are quite normal again. If the same person were depressed, the recovery time would be much, much greater, if even at all. And the same mistake cannot be made about being pessimistic either. I, myself, am a very pessimistic (or as I like to say "realistic") person, and many people have mistaken that for depression.

My statement-"People die everyday, I've learned to get over it. You and I are both going to die at one point."
The response I am given-"omg he's SO depressed, he wants to kill himself!"

[Meteor858]

Dragon that gets me to thinkin do i really have depression, or is it just hormones startin to screw with me? I dunno but im still pretty sure i got depression.
Well as for Kathy,
I'm not sure why she would be smiling while talkin bout that, but I think its possible that she feels better knowing that shes seeking help by telling others.
At the same time though, she could be fine, I suggest you watch her closely and search up depression on the internet from www.hopeline.com they have good links and facts about depression and suicide and stuff like it.
-meteor

[ayanepuck]

I know this "thread died ages ago..." but I wanted to see the posts left after my essay of a comment...and I wanted to clear something up. I have already told people about my cutting, and that is why I stopped. Guidohunter was right about the fact that I wasn't secretive (later) but I was secretive at first because it was an outlet for pain that I was feeling internally, and I was quite content with doing it at the time. Eventually, however, one person found out, and she told some of my friends, and so on....and I decided the best thing to do was to be honest with all my friends and every one of them were very supportive and I eventually stopped.
Okay, now that I feel better, I promise I won't bring this back up.

[pntballa18]

If you TRULY think she is doing this for attention,then ignore her. When she doesnt get any attention, she will stop acting depressed(if she is acting). If that doesnt work then just let her do what she does. It cant get that annoying.

[FlashStinger]

Well, thread can be brought back into light. It seems to me that Kathy may very well be depressed, but without being in her mind or seeing how she behaves at home, we can't assume anything. It seems as though she is, but many people with depression also show signs of Bi-Polar Disorder and schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is not really common but it happens. Another ailement often associated with depression is "putting on a facade, or mask" when around people. This is a defence mechanism that involes the depressee, if you will, acting happy and even giggling in order to compensate for the depressive feelings. Kathy seems to do this at times, although it doesn't seem to be the same thing. She does seem to be wanting attention, which is 1 sign of depression, but she doesn't really show any other symptoms(besides the slightly Bi-Polar action of running out of the room crying). In my opinion, she is but isn't at the same time. She may have had it, but it has been cured. I also believe depression is cureable, and it is the constant thinking that you will ALWAYS be depressed that makes you always be depressed. Kind of like an internal placebo.

-Stinger

[hatakikakashi]

The facade idea =good depression is curable or at least treatable, I agree. Other that that I have nothing worth saying right this minute. Even that wasn't worth your time.

I'm very sad today and can't think anything worthwhile to contribute. I'm tearing up right now for no good reason. I hate how I've wasted my life so far but I have to ... just keep going. I've screwed up badly and things are getting harder for me. I can't still fix things but it's just so hard, and I'm so tired. When I get this way I don't want to do anything all I want is to be left alone, curl up into a ball and cry like a little baby.
It's literally hard for me to get up and walk around and I feel so cold. After a while I think about what a wuss I'm being and it either makes me feel more sad and it gets worse or I get very angry. When I'm angry it's hard for me to sit still, I'll still be crying but it's more like rage than sadness, my heart pounds so hard I think it's fixing to give out I'll start to get very hot like I'm sick and running a fever and I scream( into my pillow so that noone hears), I scream and scream as loud as I can but noone comes to help me. I scream until I get dizzy and pass out. (Sometimes I pretend that I'm dying) then I wake up and feel better. I don't do this very often. More often than not I just stay still and cry untill I fall asleep and wake up feeling better, or not sometimes I still feel like shit. Other times I just bottle it up and "save it for later" I don't cry and don't rage I just push it into the back of my mind and say I'll worry about this later. That's when I get in trouble for hurting people, someone will do something that really isn't that bad and then I'll just cut loose on them. I hate this about myself. At school I was suspended for hitting a kid for bumping into me in the hall. He told me that I was an idiot and to watch where I was going. I normally would've just ignored him but I wasn't thinking. I just snapped and suckerpunched him in the face and beat him senseless until people pulled me off of him. That's when they sent me to the hospital for "psyciatric evaluation" as they put it. It was either that or go to jail.

But I guess that's too much info and noone here cares anyway so I'll leave you guys alone for now.

-edit- I didn't mean to ramble on for so long

[Meteor858]

hey hataki im there with ya man.
things suck but you will eventually feel better. for once im feeling good

and i like it
i might try to become an optimist

i g2g2 bed
cya

[ringzing]

i know a chick like that she is just needing for the attention its basic phsycology. she doesnt have any friends, she seems not to have any skills so she goes for the guilt trip and says she is depressed. its really low