Do I have the right to feel depressed even if I'm privileged?
312 Answers
Last Updated: 03/15/2022 at 12:22am
Moderated by
Danielle Gonzales, PsyD
Psychologist
Hello! My name is Dani, I am a Psychologist and registered Psych Assistant. I have a passion for helping a different types of clients from all diverse backgrounds!
Top Rated Answers
Most feelings including depression (which could be a state of living) are not our choice. Being happy, for instance, will not solve the inequality that makes you privileged. Action, most accurately cooperation of individual actions, is what will solve it. Likewise, your being part of the privileged will not--and you can attest to this--make you feel immune to negative feelings. I applaud your concern and your acknowledgement of your privilege. If you want to alleviate inequality, contribute to its resolution. But you have the "right" to feel depressed.
Anonymous
July 9th, 2017 8:08pm
Everyone has the right to feel depressed no matter how privileged one is, everyone of us have problems to address and sometimes life hits us harder than we expect , being privileged doesnt take away that
Anonymous
July 13th, 2017 10:02am
Of course you do! Depression can come from almost anything, privileged or not. Depression is not a right and it can emerge in anyone from any walks of life.
Anonymous
July 15th, 2017 7:42pm
You have to remember that depression is not something that is determined by your lifestyle! People of any race, sexuality, gender, and ethnicity can experience depression.
Anonymous
July 16th, 2017 8:49am
Anybody could feel depressed. Whether they are underprivileged or have lots of money. You have the right
Depression will visit anybody, it doesn't matter whether they're privileged or not. Cancer doesn't care who it goes to, neither does the common cold. Depression/mental illness is no different. The stigma attached to mental illness tells us that only certain people can get depression, or that it's not even a real illness. By opening up and talking about it, we're hoping to destroy that stigma, and let people know that it's more common that people realize, and that there IS hope and help out there to manage depression and other mental illnesses. If you feel like you're depressed, don't keep it hidden away just because you're "privileged" - there's help for you.
Anonymous
July 29th, 2017 10:06pm
In a word, yes. You have a right to feel whatever emotions may come your way. I once read something of the lines of, "Saying you can't be sad because someone else has it worse is like saying you can't be happy because someone else has it better." It really resonated with me and showed me that we are all individuals and have our own experiences and emotions, they're what matters, not how we compare with other people.
it's like saying
do i have the right to die, even if i'm dressed in white?
it doesn't matter what "privileges" you have
depression is a state, a feeling
resulted from an interpretation of what's around you
intepretation based on your current beliefs
changing the beliefs => interpretation changes => feeling changes
doesnt matter if you are rich or poor
a happy person nourishes everyone
Anonymous
August 10th, 2017 1:27am
Of course! Just because you have materialistic items does not mean that you MUST be happy, wealth can't buy happiness as they say.
Anonymous
August 10th, 2017 6:33am
We cannot always choose what we feel! Of course you do and you are a great person !
Anonymous
August 11th, 2017 12:11am
Yes, privilege has no correlation with depression. Never let anyone tell you that you cant be depressed solely of your financial situation, race, gender, or sexual orientation. Your emotions are always valid,
Every person has feelings, no matter their status in life. So yes, you do have the right to feel depressed. It is not something you can control.
Yes! Everybody has the right to feel anything they feel, including depressed. Some of the most successful and privileged people in the world have felt depression or have mental illness. Depression does not discriminate and if you fee that way please reach out to us and we will help you as best we can :)
Privilege =/= the right to be depressed. Anybody can be depressed, it isn't something that occurs despite having privilege or not. It's a mental illness, something you can't control if it happens or not. Try and find help if you can :)
Of course! Your emotions do not care about your status or your wealth, and in 2017 at least, rich people do not have any difference in their brains than people who aren't privileged. It's important to be aware of your privilege, but it's equally as important to take care of yourself.
Yes, a lot of people know they have a 'good life' but are depressed, then they feel guilty about it, and suddely they feel even worse. What people should distinguish is the environment and the emotional well-being, those are seperate things.
Everyone gets down from time to time. You shouldn't feel guilty because you have a good life, depression is a mental disorder, privileges have nothing to do with it, don't worry.
Anonymous
January 4th, 2018 8:06pm
Of course you do. Depression doesn't care if you're cis, white, male, or privileged in any other way. You have the right to feel any way you do. Being privileged can buy many things but happiness is not one of them. You shouldn't feel guilty or ashamed for this, you're a human being with feelings just like everyone else.
Yes, depression does not belong to one person, or group. In fact depression may affect as many as 1 in 3 people. Each person is valid in their feelings and should not be ashamed of them or ignore them.
You should not feel like you aren't allowed to be depressed, or allowed to talk to people and reach out to them regarding it, you have a right to be depressed but more importantly you have a right to be heard, and a right to feel better again in the future.
Yesyesyes! I've struggled with thoughts like this myself, and it's not fun, but you have to remind yourself that depression doesn't pick and choose who it affects. Your status in no way discredits your emotions, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Anonymous
January 10th, 2018 3:50am
You always have the right to feel depressed no matter what the situation is and the day it is and even if your privileged because sometimes you just need to let it out because of the tensions that's held against you at times.
Of course! Your feelings are valid. Brain chemistry does not care about your social status. You can be affected by depression no matter where you come from.
Anonymous
January 10th, 2018 8:40am
Anyone can feel depressed despite their personal aspects. There are no rules that say depression cannot affect people with certain things.
Anonymous
January 11th, 2018 2:39am
Well there are a number or reasons that can make one reach depression, and if you observe at any celebrity example, material things or status aren't a guaranty of anything, because depression comes from the inside, not the outside. Sounds kind of obvious, but maybe it isn't, of course the outside can affect the inside, but to solve things from the inside you the only ones that can help you are people, not money, not fame, etc. Hope it helps.
Absolutely. Depression has nothing to do with privilege. A lot of the time it is the brains chemicals. You cannot control that.
Of course, depression does not deppend only on privileges, sometimes there is not even an apparent cause.
Everyone has the right to feel depressed. Mental illness does not only happen to certain types of individuals. There are factors of mental illness, such as genetics, which does not have any affect on privilege. If you have had the chance to be diagnosed by a professional, you definitely do not need to have any "permission" to have depression. Also, remember that someone can be privileged in one thing but not in others.
Yes. If others are going through things which are much worse it does not mean you can't be depressed. If you are privileged, try to use it to your advantage in battling the feeling. You do have the right to feel depressed, but you don't have the right to stay depressed and not work towards feeling better.
Of course you do! Nobody has the right to be more or less depressed, and as one friend once told me, "There is no such thing as the Pain Olympics so don't compare your pain to others. How you feel is valid as you are."
You do have the right to feel depressed. There is no reason as to why you being privilege would impact your right to feel depressed. Depression is something that affects people who come from multitudes of life and also most of the time something you can't control. Hang in there and be gentle with yourself.
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