What do you think is the biggest misconception about your depression?

There are a few. One is that I can just ‘get over it and that I do not really have it. It is just feeling sad, which is not true.

Another is that you have to not speak your mind around me and you have to ‘watch what you say to me. This is also not true since I prefer you to be honest with me.

Another is that it is something that I can control and it only happens at certain times. For example, I cant have depression if I am doing something that I enjoy of spending time with people who mean a lot to me. This is not true and, a lot of the time my depressing thoughts like to come and bother me at these times!

That depression is the same as being sad. Sad is an emotion. Depression is an altered state of being; a howling darkness in an empty room without an exit. Sad is a feeling. Depression is having your soul devoured.

Oh my god. For me, it would be someone telling me that, "Nothing is wrong with you, you don't have depression, you're just sad." Sadness and depression is so much different.

Sadness is an emotional pain associated with, or characterized by, feelings of disadvantage, loss, despair, grief, helplessness, disappointment and sorrow. An individual experiencing sadness may become quiet or lethargic, and withdraw themselves from others.

Depression, is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable.Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed.

See, there's a diffrence.. I just wish people could see that, Depression is really serious and for those suffering from it, it makes your daily living hard as hell, it's difficult!!

All those out there suffering from depression, you are not alone!

Elle was here 💖

That things will get better someday. No they won't. If anything it's just going to get worse.

I want to bring this thread back up again because it is very important to keep discussing this. 👍

One of my absolute pet peeves when Im feeling depressed is when people tell me to cheer up or calm down but come off as sounding frustrated with me or having contempt toward me rather than actually trying to help me relax and cheer up. 🙄

For example- in online communication such as even 1-1 chats with a listener who I would theoretically expect to understand and empathize with those having depression, I often feel more comfortable and relaxed during the chats if they use positive emojis when posting to me, but there have been times when they wont honor that request even when I have requested over 3 times and mentioned that I am less apprehensive if they use them more often when chatting with me. 🤔 After all, if theyre intending to help the member, they would honor the members request to help them feel less anxious and depressed, and more relaxed, right? Because a member who is more relaxed is more likely to be more open about what is troubling them and the listener will be less likely to have to reach for the crisis butto💡

@AbbyHarris1976

"Get over it." Those are the three cruelest words to those of us with depression. I've been trying to get over it for more than 30 years, and I haven't made it yet. I am devastated by how prevalent that phrase is in our society, including among some people with depression. Depression is a serious malady that requires serious care and treatment. it isn't a mild cold or a sunburn. Those are pretty simple to get over. Depression is exponentially more serious. People die because of depression, for goodness sakes.

A lot of people expect a reason for the depression, a concrete one. For example, many people belittle what people go through just because they can't provide an understandable reason or reasons, as if it's less of a struggle. Many people go through so much: a death, bullying, abuse, conflict, school/job, and much more. Many people don't go through these things and are still depressed. Many people, it is a combination of all sorts of things. Many people, the reason can't be defined. When some depressions are belittled, it sort of makes it into a competition of depressions which is wrong. Everyone deserves help, right?

Being scoffed at like this hurts the depressed person too, because more than likely, they hate themselves for not knowing either.

@AbbyHarris1976

For me it's when people, especially my family members, tell me things like:"Stop being so sad! Can't you see there are a lot of things to be happy about? Just get over it". Especially when I'm in one of those very bad moments. They are not helping me. Not one bit.

People not acknoledging it. We are called "lazy", "procrastinators", "hoarders" etc., there is even a children's stlry with a "lazy" man being hanged...

See, none of these things fit me because before depression I was a very active person in all respects...

So smth is very wrong...either it is a virus/parasite like they discovered in Africa recently for unexplained lethargy or a mental condition that the medical comunity likes to play with but never wants to fix.

I really hope some of us will get through it yet no real authentic succes story emerged on this site yet for depression...

I am posting the link to this thread here because I think toxic positivity leads to these misconceptions about depression ...

https://www.7cups.com/forum/TraumaSupport_60/Ongoingdiscussions_1981/PopupdiscussionSeptember5th2019ToxicPositivity_208371/