To think a lot of people don't understand what a depression or anxiety disorder are?

[darkuncertainplace]

I'm writing this out of both frustration and despair. I have felt for a while that a lot of people don't actually understand what it means to have major depressive disorder, or an anxiety disorder.

I have heard so many people say the following in the last few years:

"Everyone gets anxiety/depression"
"You've just got to snap yourself out of it/get on with things"
"Just do things that make you happy and you'll feel better"
"It's normal to be anxious, we all just have to get on with it"

Etc etc. It makes me feel so frustrated. As someone who was diagnosed with major depressive disorder at 18, you cannot just pull yourself out of it. You are in a dark, dark hole and you can't see the beauty or joy in anything. You feel nothing except emptiness and darkness. It's an medical illness, not a mood.

Same for anxiety disorder. My triggers cause me physical symptoms such as panic attacks, consuming feelings of dread and fear, dizziness etc. It is paralysing and has made my life a misery.

They are both disabilities that seriously affect people's lives. I wish there was a different name for these disorders that separate them more clearly from just depression and anxiety.

This cannot be right. That you can go for a GP appt knowing that a doctor will 100% give you a sick note. It means thatanyone can self diagnose. There has to be much stricter criteria for diagnosing patients. It sounds as if even the Health Care Professionals do not know what to do with people claiming to have mental health issues.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20lew24kngo

11.2 million diagnoses in one year is crazy. Statistically, this cannot be right. No one will take a diagnosis of mental health issues seriously if it is this easy to get a GP to sign you off work.

GPs can only really diagnose mild depression/anxiety. Anything more, then they should be referring someone to secondary MH team so they can see a psychiatrist. But the wait for that can be months. In the meantime, some pills and a printout is pretty much all on offer.

But you clearly have an agenda here. There is no need to come onto a thread where people are sharing their experiences and basically tell them they are all fakes and GPs don't really think they are unwell.

I don’t think anyone is disputing that these conditions exist and can be extreme. Unfortunately, there are too many people without any form of diagnosis who are claiming they can’t work due to ‘anxiety’ etc. I think this is who people are referring to and not the genuine cases. It’s a real issue particularly in the under 30s.

It is clear that GPs increasingly think the fact that there are 11 million cases of mental health being presented are not realistic . Having such a huge number of cases is unlikely and belittle the cases that are genuine.
There is no agenda. I didn’t commission the survey, the BBC news department did. I suspect the government is very interested in these findings.

It's not quite as simple as that.

Due to the way the NHS is set up, people can't get a more accurate diagnosis, even if they're quite unwell, because the secondary services have been cut to the bone and pretty much don't take anyone who isn't trying to off themselves regularly or who isn't psychotic. Even then, they're more likely to stabilise you on meds then discharge, they're not particularly interested in diagnosing anyone. Even severely ill people on heavy duty psych meds and who've spent time in hospital can wait years for a diagnosis beyond depression/anxiety or hopefully-a-one-off psychosis.

There's a discrepancy also in what a medical professional needs to know to be able to treat you: you have anxiety/depression (seems to me many GPs don't even bother (or aren't able? maybe because you only get a ten minute appointment) to find out which is worse or came first and caused the other, and it's diagnosed together like that) but they're going to treat you with antidepressants anyway (it can be a hard job to get anything else prescribed even if it would more suitable) so does it matter? Especially if the antidepressants work. So people with diagnosable conditions are going undiagnosed or the only diagnosis they've got is depression/anxiety from a GP. Which, as you've insinuated, is thought of amongst the general population as "not very ill".

A discrepancy between that and what others, like sometimes the general public, the benefits agencies etc need, to be able to take a person seriously and consider them "genuinely ill". There's a perception in society that unless you're completely off your rocker, your illness doesn't count.

There's a misconception that meds fix everything too. Lots of people "stable" on meds just means they're consistently experiencing a ton of debilitating symptoms (whether illness or side effects), but they're able to get through the day and they're no danger to themselves or others. They may not be receiving any help except their prescription and they look basically fine and behaving ordinary (you don't see them when they're not and you also can't necessarily see how they're feeling inside on the outside), but they're not able to work. So they get labelled scroungers.

As you can see from this thread, people can't win. Don't talk about it and it means you look even more "fine" and people expect you to be fine, which can be challenging to navigate when you're not actually fine. Do talk about it and you're a needy PITA with no friends who'll be told to snap out if it because nobody wants to listen to you moaning.

There's a perception within the medical profession that if you're able to work, regardless of how hellish your life might be at work and outside work due to your illness, than you're "fine". With budgets being cut so much, they've a vested interest in being able to label people "fine". It's not that easy to get a GP to sign you off work. For a few weeks perhaps, but they're not actually keen to do it even if they don't refuse. They may not say anything negative, but if you ask to be signed off work you're effectively made to feel you're not trying hard enough to overcome your problems. For any decent, honest person who's doing their best but not coping, this feels spectacularly shit.

Speak for yourself.

Anxiety and panic disorder are incomprehensible to most people who haven't experience it first hand.
This unhealthy attitude of just get on with it , and we never had that in my day is a totally lazy and unhelpful response.
I don't think there is a cure as such, l suffered panic disorder in my teens and early 20s. I am 57 now and after years and years of masking l am still susceptible. I manage it better now, that's it.

I think people don't understand clinical diagnoses in many cases - not just for anxiety and depression. When my child was a baby they were diagnosed with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and it was hell to deal with. He barely slept, healthcare professionals wouldn't listen to me. I felt gaslit. My baby was constantly screaming in pain and projectile vomiting. I wasn't prescribed medication that worked for my baby until 12 weeks old. It was horrendous. And if I had a pound for every time I was told 'oh yes my baby had reflux too' as parents smiled and rolled their eyes... They didn't have a clue. They were dark, dark days and it was horrendous. GORD isn't just 'reflux'. And I suspect people think the same for many things... Anxiety, depression...ADHD, autism... I imagine people with many hidden disabilities feel the same. 💐

That is ridiculous.

When I was growing up, two girls in my class died of restrictive eating disorders. A cousin had severe anxiety and agoraphobia and school refused as a result - guidance was to force her to go, which worsened the problem, and she is now severely impaired as an adult (although now getting treatment that helps). My grandfather was a chronic alcoholic due to unaddressed childhood abuse that he never spoke about. My other grandfather suffered with severe OCD that was never properly addressed and treated - it runs in the family and now relatives are being diagnosed and treated, but that doesn't mean it suddenly sprang up out of nowhere.

My dad's best friend at uni had severe anxiety, dropped out and ended his life. Again, no mention of MH, just brushed under the carpet.

Just because things were not talked about or properly treated does not mean they didn't exist.

Ordinary anxiety - something the vast majority of people will experience at some point in their lives. A temporary feeling of discomfort, such as butterflies in the stomach, elevated heart rate, sweaty palms, etc, before an interview/exam or other common stress-inducing situation.

I can tell the difference because I have experienced clinical anxiety that had to be medicated for a period of several years. I still do struggle. But I also get common or garden anxiety in situations most people get anxious over. I have not met a single person who hasn't felt a little anxious at some point over something.

To return the snarky attitude, I guess you are one of those people who thinks butterflies before a driving test is a debilitating condition that needs medical intervention?

No, it’s not a spectrum.
Most people experience anxiety and sometimes feel depressed. It’s not the same thing as clinical anxiety and depressive disorders though. They are not more extreme versions of normal emotions.
Part of the diagnostic criteria for clinical depression/ anxiety is that the patient has to have suffered for a minimum of a specific length of time, all or most of the time. Clinical Depression is a syndrome. There are a wide range of symptoms, both physical and psychological. It’s not the same thing as feeling depressed at all.
That’s like saying to someone with Crohns Disease Well we all get digestive problems sometimes, it’s a spectrum.

Hopefully someone's pointed this out by now, but (while really disliking this description and not necessarily agreeing with it)... it seems fairly logical that "shittier places to live" would also be "shittier" at diagnosing and funding treatment for these conditions!

That's not actually true. People cope with physical disabilities to greater and lesser degrees. I believe the Paralympics is quite successful.

My best friend is blind. She works, hikes, camps, volunteers. She refused to let it define her.

I have a brother with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. He works, plays sports, owns a house, does the gardening. He's climbed Snowdon. He's a normal bloke that needs extra help physically.

I have a child with Autism, hearing impairment and a physical disability. He is still expected to have hobbies, school, holidays etc. we just adjust.

I have a colleague with fibromyalgia who is off sick long and short term, moans, miserable and claims a thousand benefits.

I struggle with clinical depression and I'm on Sertraline. I have bad days, I pull myself out of bed and get the kids to school and me to work because the mortgage needs paying and they need an education. I also know that keeping normality, healthy eating, exercise, work and friendships supports my mental health. It's not easy . It affects my marriage at times. I've made poor choices when I'm unwell. But I know that life has to go on.

There are people who wallow and don't work with their illnesses. Those defined by it and those not.

My brother gets quite annoyed at people referring to him as a disabled person as he doesn't feel he qualifies as disabled 🤣 interestingly most people who speak a lot about not being able to do X Y Z because they are disabled are usually people with CFS, fibromyalgia, anxiety and depression. Not those with cerebral palsy, MS, visual impairment etc.

A few years ago I developed crippling anxiety.
I couldn't get dressed in the morning; picking what to wear ie between which 2 pairs of jeans was too much of a decision

I couldnt drive all of a sudden as it was terrifying (always been a confident driver even after a massive motorway crash)

Going to the local shop was beyond me - what did we even like to eat

Any minor decision was crippling

Went to the GP; they decided that due to my medical history (vast) I was probably depressed and referred me to CBT

Finally got CBT appointment and they decided I had CPTSD and referred me on.

NHS said there was nothing further they could offer me. Just look at the website

By this point a year had passed I had dropped weight through not eating and was barely getting out of bed.

Ended up in hospital for my usual illnesses.

Luckily I actually had Addisons Disease and once I was on steroids my cortisol levels returned to normal and I didn't have severe anxiety any more.

Once when my steroids were too high I had a month of pure rage. Anger like I have never felt. I was honestly afraid of myself. When I tried to tell anyone they laughed and said it was peri menopause and nothing to do with steroids....it was the steroids obviously

But NOTHING was offered by the NHS and I had no money or interest tbh to help myself.

My Mother had a breakdown 20 years ago, had a 6 month hospitalisation and has never really recovered. Her personality changed. Shes on quite strong medication. Until about 10 years ago she saw a psychiatrist relatively regularly. These appointments were stopped due to funding.
Although she is still on medication and probably has needed to be hospitalised since (but no beds) she hasnt relieved any benefits since she stopped having regular consultations letters. Her GP sent in good supporting evidence but it was turned down.

My Great grandmother had a breakdown and ended her short life as a prostitute, no welfare state and no real knowledge of mental health in the middle 1920s.
Is this what we are wanting for people?

You know there are other factors that affect a person’s ability to cope with illness though? Trauma/ adverse life experience, lack of social support, coming from disadvantaged backgrounds/ poverty etc?
And that depression affects individuals differently? Some people are resistant to treatment for example.
You can’t just list off a few examples and think that proves anything.
I think your way of thinking is a misguided attempt to feel in control. It’s also lacking in empathy.

Would you like a medal because you can get out of bed with clinical depression?!
Everyone is different. Everyone copes differently. You can power through, that's great. Others cannot. It's not because they are wallowing or not trying. It's because they are ill!!

Yes please, some days I really deserve a medal.

Today for instance, I feel rotten with a cold and it's my day off. I've still stripped all the beds, cleaned the house and mowed the lawn. That is medal worthy the way I feel.

That's great that you can do that. Other people will be more disabled by their depression and unable to leave their beds. That's not because they're not trying hard enough. I might suggest their depression is more severe than yours.

Glad the vile post above has been removed, but certain other posters have been pretty awful and clueless on this thread. But hey, everyone knows fresh air and good honest toil cures depression and that anyone who says different is just trying to scam the benefits system, eh? I'm not at all surprised OP is frustrated at this point.