5 Terrible Misunderstandings about Depression
Depression is one of the most overrated terms in psychology. When someone is feeling low, people’s common reaction would be ‘Oh, she is depressed!’ But actually, everyone experiences ups and downs in life and it’s normal! For some though, negative emotions persist for quite a long time, affecting their life and relationships with others. In this case, we call it clinical depression.
If you, or someone you know thinks he or she has depression, it is important to be aware of the truth behind the following lies:
Depression results from a chemical imbalance in the brain.
In the research entitled ‘Manufacturing Depression: The Secret History of a Modern Disease’, psychologist Gary Greenberg says the notion that serotonin is the chief biological basis or the underlying root for the illness is, “a reductionist oversimplification of a very complex biological state” A growing body of research suggests that the imbalance in the production of serotonin is not enough to diagnose a person of having clinical depression.
Depression is a disease.
Many people think of depression as a medical malady that gets relieved by medication. But unlike most diseases, the diagnosis of depression doesn’t involve a definitive blood test or a series of physical examinations. Psychiatrists only base their diagnosis on the symptoms shown by the patient. One doesn’t need to demonstrate all the symptoms of depression, just majority of them. Another thing that differentiates depression from other diseases is that there is no precise medical treatment that works for every patient.
Medication is the best treatment for depression.
This lie has ruined thousands of lives for the past decades. Because many think that depression is a disease caused by chemical imbalance in the brain, patients are encouraged to take medication to eliminate the imbalance and restore their old selves. But new studies are showing proofs that medication is not the most effective treatment for this debilitating condition. In fact, in many cases, they do nothing but aggravate the illness. Out of the many clinical trials made, only two favoured the use of prescription drugs to treat depression. There is also a research suggesting that the therapeutic benefits of antidepressants are more like a placebo effect. Not only that, long-term use of these medications has been linked to severe side effects, such as agitation, sexual dysfunction, gastrointestinal bleeding, improper brain development and drug dependency.
Men could never be depressed.
Just because clinical studies report a high rate of depression in women doesn’t mean men are not vulnerable to, and could never suffer from depression. Some experts argue that men may be equally prone to depression, but are less likely to speak up about their condition and seek help. Therefore, fewer records can be obtained about the prevalence of this mental illness among the gents. Unlike women, men show symptoms of depression at a lesser degree. Moreover, they tend to resort to alcohol or substance abuse, aggression, and in more serious cases, suicidal tendencies.
Experiencing symptoms of depression calls for diagnosis.
Just because a person experiences mood swings, sleeping problems, or fatigue, doesn’t mean he or she is already clinically depressed. Only a licensed psychiatrist can make diagnosis. Resorting to medications without recommendations from a qualified doctor can be harmful.
Dear Readers,
What other stigma’s are related to depression and how can we avoid these?
Share your thoughts below!
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