Depression an injury, not "an illness".

[Gingembre]

I don't know if I'm alone in this, hence posting.

I am fed up of hearing that "depression is an illness" and "lots of us suffer from it".

I've been diagnosed with it. But to me it's not an illness. It's not like a virus I contracted and I don't know where from.

It's an injury.

It's a direct consequence of growing up with a mother who was a narcissist with a side helping of sadist. Then being raped, more then once. Sexually assaulted many times. Marrying someone I believed was amazing and who I fell deeply for, only to find out after moving internationally that he is a chronic gaslighter - not a day goes by without it happening, when he's here. And what about living abroad where I'm stuck due to divorcing and legal issues with the kids, meaning I have little life and need to learn a language (am doing it). Then with covid restrictions I can go weeks without seeing a friendly face.

I do not see that being depressed in these circumstances as an "illness". It's in absolute direct relation to the shit that's happened/happening to me, that I can't get out of and I have nowhere to escape to/get away from it all. The same as if someone hit me with a car and then kept driving back and forth over me, or someone stomped on my foot every day for years: I'd be injured, not "ill"!

I imagine some people have a "chemical imbalance" that comes unexpectedly/randomly, but in most cases, isn't depression a result of some sort of psychological injury?

I do wonder if it is thought of as an "illness" because then nobody has any responsibility to it. Society can say the individual needs pills/therapy and "job done", their responsibility is complete.

Anyway, thoughts? Anybody depressed out of the blue - ie no work stress, traumas, bad news, tough family situations, unemployment etc - just sailing through life, with no history of trauma or significant stress either, proactively enjoying what it has to offer and then in a very short time, boom, depression?

I think that if society recognised it is largely a social injury (meaning caused by people other than the individual) or by life circumstances, then the necessary steps to heal it would in turn set up society to reduce occurrences in the first place.

I am sorry for all you have been through and are still going through now.

I have lived with chronic depressive disorder for 30 years and agree with you up to a point. Depression is often a reaction to trauma and the resulting feelings of helplessness; I feel this is true in my case.

But I know that for me there is a family history of depression so I am likely to be genetically predisposed.

I also think that depression literally changes one's brain and the effects of this can be lifelong. Therefore depression can be experienced even when no injury is actively being done and that is why I would tend to call it an illness.

That’s a really interesting differentiation to make, and it totally makes sense. I do think there are different types of depression though. Some people would seem on the surface to have it all, may have never suffered the kind of life challenges that you have and still have depression. I’m sure a much larger percentage have the kind of situational depression you refer to about job stress or family situations.

I have mainly been to the GP for depression when either physically ill (thyroid issues cause depression) or after a marriage/relationship breakdown. Turns out that I’m allergic to sertraline and citalopram so haven’t been able to take anything to help me, but I do wonder if the SSRI type ADs have the same effect when your seratonin levels are naturally suppressed v being as a result of a break up etc.

I think that's a debate which will rage on for years. I don't think there will ever be a concrete belief that it's one thing or the other, possibly because perhaps they're linked in some way.

My depression and anxiety definitely is a mix of life experiences and neurological issues past down in the family. However, I'm pretty sure if I had a happier more positive brain flowing with serotonin I would've perhaps brushed off my shitty past and been able to cope with it. My depression was definitely at its worst when my life was in a really bad place.

The point is, everyone's depression is valid, yours included, no matter how it manifested itself. The fact that you've acknowledged the possible reasons for your depression is a good starting point to getting help. Everyones experience is different I think. Sending hugs.

I don't think you can treat all depression the same way and, to be honest, everyone will view their own depression differently. For me, it is a chronic health condition - similar to other chronic health conditions I have. The underlying cause is most likely a genetic disposition although it might get triggered by something in my life. I differentiate it from PTSD, which I also have, which is more of an acute injury which is caused by specific events.

I definitely agree with this to an extent. I think it could be one or the other depending on the circumstances.. in your case it sounds more like an 'injury' as you are dealing with trauma, however someone else (as a pp just said) who has never suffered any trauma but perhaps has a chemical imbalance may class it as an illness. Every individual case is different.

but in most cases, isn't depression a result of some sort of psychological injury?

No, I’d estimate less than half. Many people with no traumatic or adverse psychological events develop it in adolescence and likely they have a parent or grandparent who was the same. Then if you look at things like PND, while it can be triggered by a trauma with childbirth or adverse situation/aftercare it’s set off by hormonal events in people who have their dream birth, much wanted baby, well supported home set up etc.

The way you want it, every individual would need to be assessed to see if they fall into the injury or illness bucket and I don’t see how that would be of benefit, and it’s not like there are even adequate resources currently let alone for additions like this.

Yes I agree with you. For me it is due to childhood trauma so the illness model does not fit for me either. My brain has been changed by the cold environment I grew up in. In terms of healing, it's a slow process but I have also felt brushed off by medical professionals very keen to medicate and that's about it.

"perhaps has a chemical imbalance may class it as an illness."

Just wanted to point out that 'chemical imbalance' as a cause of depression has been pretty much debunked. It's served the pharmaceutical industry very well for decades but it's NEVER been proved.

In your circumstances, I’d say that you have a perfectly natural response to the experiences you’ve had in your life. Do you follow Dr Jessica Taylor on Facebook or Twitter? She’s amazing, she talks about the ‘medical establishment’ wrongly pathologicalising the trauma women have experienced and diagnosing them as having mental health ‘illnesses’ that need medical treatment. Look her up - she’s fab.

@Sarahlou63

"perhaps has a chemical imbalance may class it as an illness."

Just wanted to point out that 'chemical imbalance' as a cause of depression has been pretty much debunked. It's served the pharmaceutical industry very well for decades but it's NEVER been proved.

Ok fair enough, sorry for the bad wording.. I guess what I meant by 'chemical imbalance' was that it has occurred naturally without the result of any trauma

I agree, OP. The type of depression you are talking about is sometimes called ‘situational depression’ and is linked to specific events. I have had it in response to childhood trauma - it was directly linked to what I went through, and I believe was an entirely understandable reaction. That’s why I refused all medication and insisted on talking therapies - I didn’t need drugs to numb my emotions, my emotions were a completely normal reaction, so I found the concept of drugging me insulting - half of the problem I had was that I had tried to ignore what had happened to me for years, so giving drugs instead of actually finally listening to me, compounded the pain in my eyes. I needed to be heard. But the NHS is so overwhelmed, they throw the drugs out there because they can’t afford to fund proper therapy. It’s the same for people with depression because their lives are fucking impossibly hard, be that through poverty, domestic abuse, hardship of any kind - we drug these people but don’t actually address the cause of their ‘illness/injury’. To be clear, I’m not anti-drugs, not at all - for some they are absolutely essential - but depression as a result of specific events needs therapy, and/or structural changes in that persons life/society as a whole

I think there’s some merit in this. Mostly around viewing depression as a response to a whole range of things in the environment. Abusive people and situations, difficult circumstances and hostile systems.

This matters because it should encourage us to see treatment as more than just fixing the (malfunctioning) individual. It’s not just about getting them to ‘reframe their thinking’ or to take medication to change the chemistry of their brain (although both can be useful). There are environmental and structural things that could and should change too.

It would also challenge the unhelpful crap you get from the difficult people in your life who dismiss it as ‘something wrong with you’ and (therefore) nothing to do with how they are treating you. When we view it as an individual pathology, that just fuels this crap (that so many people have heard from husbands, family members, so-called friends and so on).

I agree. I had a long discussion about this with my therapist ages ago.

The doctor told me that I am depressed and will have to take anti depressants for the rest of my life. My therapist was also telling me that I was depressed and that anti depressants are the way forward.

I disagreed, after trying many anti depressants and finding that they do not work. I argued that this "depression" isn't the clinical depression they talk about. I do not have a chemical imbalance and it is more a reaction to my circumstances and abuse I've endured. Anti depressants are probably excellent for those with an imbalance, and are probably helpful for many others. But they are not what works for me.

Also, they are very adamant that grief does not warrant a prescription for anti depressants as it's a natural reaction to a loss. So why is that accepted as a reaction to circumstances, but reactions that last longer due to other issues, like abuse, are expected to be treat with anti depressants?

I strongly believe that anti depressants are thrown at people because it's far easier than sending them for therapy. Which is far, far more effective.

I have improved massively since I stopped trying anti depressants. I think when you think there's a potential quick fix, you sometimes aren't putting the mental effort into helping yourself. At least thats what it seems like when I reflect back.

Just to add that my final paragraph is not me saying that self help is all it takes to heal. Far from it. I still struggle. Just when anti depressants were on the table, I was under the belief that they would do a lot of the work and so put less effort in from my end if that makes sense.

There is a kind of condition called adjustment reaction. For example a major life event that causes a period of adjustment that can have psychoological symptoms, then if that continues it becomes depression.

I agree with you.

This resonates with me. I feel damaged by things that have happened to me and I struggle to cope with the damage. I'm in a depression pit ATM and really struggling and I'm fed up to the back teeth of always feeling crap. I need it to stop.

I probably have a genetic tendency to depression, but I've also had to withstand a lot of abuse. My resources to cope are paper thin.

Masdintle
I too am in a low state at the moment, feeling really down and depressed, I also take antidepressants.

I'm using my light lamp to see if it's just the awful dark mornings and evenings that are making me so miserable.
The house needs cleaning, I need to go out more but I just haven't got the energy to do anything. I also don't think people realise that depression can cause physical symptoms as well, I feel as though I'm wading through treacle.
Depression really is the pits.

Theoldcuriosityshop for you

Thank you.

Please, please, please read this book if you want to learn about depression, it's 'real' causes and how to tackle it (and read the citations - it has been meticulously researched).

thelostconnections.com/

Looks interesting that book.

I disappeared cbecause I'm ill. Interesting responses. Thanks.

It would seem from responses that in practice, depression is more of an umbrella term.