Is depression a legitimate illness?

Originally Posted by Erupt

^This.

Depression is a state of mind. Drugs do nothing but block, not cure it. In reality depression can be fixed by doing simple things like working out, drinking water, taking your vitamins, and being outside/doing the things you love.


Its purely a state of mind.

Tell that to someone with a serotonin deficiency. Some people need drugs, others don't. Lifestyle changes are excellent and enough for a lot of people, but not everyone. Absolutes are dangerous territory.

For some people depression is a passing condition spurred by a stressful time in their life. For others it's a lifelong condition caused by genetics or a hormone deficiency.

Also, I forgot to quote but I want to comment on something @NOBLE said. You used the word weak. Depression is not a weakness. That's like saying someone is weak for having asthma or schizophrenia. I'm sure it was just an oversight but thought I would throw my views down since this place is a hotbed of masculinity issues.

Come to think of it I have a related story. Last winter I was going through a stressful time which caused me to have a really bad eczema flare-up. I know that sounds trivial to those who think of eczema as a rash on their leg. This was way beyond that level. My skin was falling off all over my body, I had staph infections constantly. I basically looked like something from a horror film.

I was offered hospitalisation, immune suppressants and was put on oral steroids as well as the usual super high grade creams and bandages.

This whole condition was spurred mostly by stress and the cold weather. However it's very visual and obvious. If I was suffering from depression instead I probably would have been told to "Man up and get on with it". Funny that a physical condition is treated so much differently than a mental one.

Respect to this thread though as I thought the responses would be way worse. Props.

Originally Posted by Erupt

^This.

Depression is a state of mind. Drugs do nothing but block, not cure it. In reality depression can be fixed by doing simple things like working out, drinking water, taking your vitamins, and being outside/doing the things you love.


Its purely a state of mind.

Tell that to someone with a serotonin deficiency. Some people need drugs, others don't. Lifestyle changes are excellent and enough for a lot of people, but not everyone. Absolutes are dangerous territory.

For some people depression is a passing condition spurred by a stressful time in their life. For others it's a lifelong condition caused by genetics or a hormone deficiency.

Also, I forgot to quote but I want to comment on something @NOBLE said. You used the word weak. Depression is not a weakness. That's like saying someone is weak for having asthma or schizophrenia. I'm sure it was just an oversight but thought I would throw my views down since this place is a hotbed of masculinity issues.

Come to think of it I have a related story. Last winter I was going through a stressful time which caused me to have a really bad eczema flare-up. I know that sounds trivial to those who think of eczema as a rash on their leg. This was way beyond that level. My skin was falling off all over my body, I had staph infections constantly. I basically looked like something from a horror film.

I was offered hospitalisation, immune suppressants and was put on oral steroids as well as the usual super high grade creams and bandages.

This whole condition was spurred mostly by stress and the cold weather. However it's very visual and obvious. If I was suffering from depression instead I probably would have been told to "Man up and get on with it". Funny that a physical condition is treated so much differently than a mental one.

Respect to this thread though as I thought the responses would be way worse. Props.