RIP Robin Williams

[Inotdead]

You should probably have read at least the first part of that article.
"Depressed mood is also a primary or associated feature of certain psychiatric syndromes such as clinical depression."

In any case, in common conversation the various disorders associated with depression are grouped under this one word.

But I have. And you should probably re-read what you have just posted.
Depression is a feature of some disorders.

And I disagree with the common conversation part too. You hear the word depression every day, referring to how the people feel, yet how many of them do actually seek treatment?

[Feone]

But I have. And you should probably re-read what you have just posted.
Depression is a feature of some disorders.

And I disagree with the common conversation part too. You hear the word depression every day, referring to how the people feel, yet how many of them do actually seek treatment?

If the fact that people use it as an excuse means the word has to be redefined then we're going to be redefining a lot of words.
Also, seeking treatment has little to do with having or not having a disorder.

You'd probably be correct if you had claimed that depression is often used as "an excuse for the weak minded to be a *****".
Your argument is flawed because the people you refer to wouldn't actually be depressed, it wouldn't be an excuse if they were.

OCD is similarly misused all the time, this doesn't mean that OCD doesn't exist and that everyone who has it is just pretending.

[Icon]

Depression works alot like the computer virus that disconnects your computers virus software from its host, so no treatment is available. People tend to seek help less because of it being stigmatized as "something that effects the weak". Statements like "the cowards way out" or such, pushes people with the disorder away from seeking help since they feel that everyone sees their condition as something that they wouldn't have if they were a "stronger person". Would be like if someone here was diabetic and tapped out to a tootsie roll, we would say man what a wuss, taken out by some sugar, when in reality what caused the sugar coma was probably years of improperly treated diabetes. Meanwhile the next diabetic would want to keep his mouth closed about condition due to fear of being labeled "weak"

[MagicManICT]

Depression is a mood.

Depressed is a mood. Depression is a clinical term for those that have continued feelings of being moody, depressed, or otherwise in a generally "sad" state. There are varied reasons for this: grief over recent events, post-traumatic stress, drug use (both doctor prescribed and self administered such as alcohol) ,and physical ailments, which can range from physical acute illnesses to long term physical disorders such as hormonal imbalances. I'm just touching the tip of the iceberg here, too. I'm sure you know how to Google and look it up.

Many with depression eventually get over it and is just an acute disorder for them. Some never "get over it" and remain in a depressed state for most, if not the rest, of their lives. Sometimes medication and therapy helps treat the symptoms, but no known cure has yet been found.

Yeah, suicide is weak, but it takes a strong mind or extremely broken mind to do it. A person has to overcome one of the strongest fears in the human psyche: death of self. If one isn't so broken, such as because of constant, persistent depression, it's not even an option (unless you're samurai) because of this fear. And I'll also note: this "suicide is weak; ***** anyone that kills themselves" is generally signs of other mental illnesses and the lack of any empathy. It doesn't make you stronger, only lonely and disconnected from the rest of society.

Depression works alot like the computer virus that disconnects your computers virus software from its host, so no treatment is available.

Not completely accurate analogy, as treatment is possible, but at this point, there is no cure for long term depressive illnesses. Drugs and therapy only go so far, though, and since those long term depression tend to have other mental illnesses driving it, it becomes hard to properly treat.

Favorite movie: World According to Garp. I was about 13 when I first saw it, and it left enough of an impression on me that I've watched multiple times since. What Dreams May Come was another great (there's that damn suicide theme again...).

[lachlaan]

Depression works alot like the computer virus that disconnects your computers virus software from its host, so no treatment is available.

Not completely accurate analogy, as treatment is possible, but at this point, there is no cure for long term depressive illnesses. Drugs and therapy only go so far, though, and since those long term depression tend to have other mental illnesses driving it, it becomes hard to properly treat.

I think he meant it more in the sense that, the person suffering from it has his ability to seek help severely blunted, since they either don't feel worthy of help or they simply feel like the chance help might actually .. help, would be minimal. I assume after three decades of not having been helped to a significant extent that feeling of futility in seeking help can get to you.

There are a lot of stuff we just can't instinctively grasp about the way the human mind works, and it's probably because we just aren't built to think at that level, else we'd be called **** psychanalysticus sapiens.

Hopefully people stop the accusing tone and start advocating for preventive measures instead, and hopefully we can all just stick to Robin being a happy collection of memories rather than turn this thread into a debate

Edit: GG word filter, censoring part of the scientific name for human

[Frakked]

He's dead; but he beat Darwinism... he left 4 children behind to continue his legacy.

[Inotdead]

If the fact that people use it as an excuse means the word has to be redefined then we're going to be redefining a lot of words.
Also, seeking treatment has little to do with having or not having a disorder.

You'd probably be correct if you had claimed that depression is often used as "an excuse for the weak minded to be a *****".
Your argument is flawed because the people you refer to wouldn't actually be depressed, it wouldn't be an excuse if they were.

OCD is similarly misused all the time, this doesn't mean that OCD doesn't exist and that everyone who has it is just pretending.

I don't see, how I am the one redefining something. And by "seeking treatment" I was referring to people, who were actually diagnosed with clinical depression, or whatever other subcategory it may be, by an actual specialist.

If you want to tell me, that the word "depression" should only be used in reference to people with an actual disorder/diagnosis, then I disagree, and Wikipedia is clearly on my side on that, be it misuse or not.

people you refer to wouldn't actually be depressed,

No. People make a bigger deal of depression then it actually is. If you are depressed, you either go see a specialist or suck it up and do something.
And if you are so depressed, that you can't do either of that, then clearly you were miserable for quite some time now, yet refused to change something about your life.
People get depressed, because they spend too much time pitying themselves, instead of actually working on changing something they don't like / pursuing something they like.

In any case, I won't be able to continue this argument for at least two weeks, so let's wrap it up at me being a un-empathetic misanthrope and move on.

[Trenial]

Its really interesting where this thread went...man

[Kandarim]

Its really interesting where this thread went...man

it's a general rule on CuaH: if you're interested in the topic, don't read beyond page 3. Nothing good ever comes of it.

[Icon]

Its really interesting where this thread went...man

it's a general rule on CuaH: if you're interested in the topic, don't read beyond page 3. Nothing good ever comes of it.

Not only that, but the reverse is true for HoB, read the op, skip about 3 pages, then the drama starts