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Do people always want to get better from depression?

207 Answers
Last Updated: 10/12/2021 at 5:05am
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
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Brenda King, PsyD

Psychologist

I treat life changes, women’s issues, and issues of aging using evidence-based treatments with healthy doses of warmth, empathy and humor to enhance healing and growth.

Top Rated Answers
Anonymous
May 13th, 2015 7:02am
No. It's an addiction. You get addicted to it. You realize you don't want to live without it. You feel loneliness is your only friend and you like it. That happens to me. I don't want to get better.
Anonymous
September 10th, 2014 9:38pm
No. Depression, by its very nature, often makes it seem far more difficult, troubling, or even impossible to get better. Depression saps away your energy, making tasks like finding a doctor to speak with, going to an appointment, filling prescriptions, or even just eating seem like an incredible trial. It can also make us feel guilty for our troubles, tell us we're not sick enough to get help, or that we're beyond help. It steals our voices so we may not speak, even to those who are there to help us. Then there's the uncertainty of treatment -- will it help, how hard will it be, how long will it last, how long until you see results.

Other times still, depression can feel familiar. Many people with depression can't remember the person they were before becoming depressed. In cases like that, the thought of no longer facing depression every day can feel alien, and almost frightening. Depression is what they know, and they'd rather stay with that than face something unknown.
LexyAustin
September 14th, 2014 12:43am
Some people with depression don't want to get better because they feel they don't deserve to get better.
Miiiranda987
November 9th, 2014 3:47am
Not everybody wants to get better from depression. I have had a friend that was always scared to get help because she thought that the depression defined her and when she started feeling better, she didn't know who she was.
Anonymous
November 3rd, 2014 2:45pm
Not always. When I was severely depressed I didn't want to get better, I loved the comfort in being sad, in the relief of self-harm and self pity. Sometimes I felt like, when I was depressed, it was my world and no one elses.
Anonymous
November 18th, 2014 11:54am
Not always. Some people are hopeless and they want to wallow in their own misery. It's hard to get out of that mindset but it's possible.
Tylerrr
November 8th, 2014 6:23pm
I know from personal experience that there were times I didn't want to get better because I was comfortable that way. It's often easier to avoid problems than to do the sometimes intimidating work of solving them. Also, there were things from my past, wrongs that had been committed against me, and I was absolutely desperate for those things to be answered and reconciled before I was willing to move on. Deep inside, I wanted to be better, but I wasn't willing to accept what had happened yet, let alone do anything to change it.
NikiTaylor
October 27th, 2014 2:30am
No. Depression can lead a lot of people to feeling hopeless, like there's no way they'll get better so they don't see a point in trying. It's all how you interpret "better." Nobody wants to remain depressed, but not everyone seeks help or treatment. Some people think that the only way to improve their situation is through death, which is what leads a lot of people to suicide.
KatieBug
October 5th, 2014 8:08am
No, not always. Some people find comfort in it, and they are so deep into their depression that they dont realize thats it hurting them.
Anonymous
November 3rd, 2014 12:21am
No. People don't know they have depression, at least I never did. All I wanted to be was happy. I never though 'oh I have depression I wish I didn't'. I thought 'I wish I wasn't so fat, I'd be happier. I wish I had friends, I'd be happier. I wish I was prettier, I'd be happier'. All I knew was that I wasn't happy, and wanted to be. In a way, yes, they do, but they don't know they have it. "Depression disguises itself as rational choices"
Anonymous
January 9th, 2016 10:44pm
Some people do, some dont, they have gotten really used to the sadness that they prefer it, they like being sad, feeling helpless, feeling empty, because they feel its better than having hopes and being let down.
Anonymous
January 6th, 2016 2:28am
Truthfully? Yes and no. The reality is that not everybody can be saved, and sometimes, not everybody wants to. Sometimes people cry out for help, but recovery from depression takes a lot of hard work and dedication, and for some people this is scary. Some may have fallen into a routine, where they can justify failures on their part on their depression and losing the scapegoat is a frightening prospect because, in turn, it requires them to take responsibility. While everybody might want to get better from depression, when faced with the road to recovery and challenged to walk the path, even with help at hand, there are some who will choose to simply remain where they are. There is, for them, a comfort in the familiarity of their mind.
DeadlyAlone
October 29th, 2014 12:46pm
People who have depression sometimes feel that it's normal to be in this situation and they feel safe in this way; However, if somebody helps them to understand that they can get over it, they probably will
Anonymous
October 29th, 2014 8:53am
Yes and No . Depression is like a high energy vortex it keeps pulling you down and down so much so that after a while most people just seem to accept that they're depressed and that nothing is going to get better ever . Here in comes an individual's will and positivity and more often than not his environment , mostly these three factors help an individual overcome depression . While some try and strive to overcome depression , others often give into it.
lightPetrichor34
November 6th, 2014 10:33pm
Not necessarily always, and people can definitely feel that way for some period of time and then change their mind (I have). Sometimes the feeling that you can't get out of your depression makes you almost embrace it, or give up, or just accept it. You can lose the desire to come out of it, often thinking, "what's the point?" I guess the point being, if you know somebody who doesn't want to come out of depression, it might not be the best to push them. Be there and be willing to listen and offer support, but there's a decent chance telling them they need to get better, or being frustrated and asking why they don't want to get better, will just make them feel worse.
lavendersilk
October 26th, 2014 3:08pm
Some people do because they realize the harm in it all. It's never okay to feel bad about yourself or anything else, and it's not okay to think you'll always be stuck like that. Some don't really want to get better because it's just something they're used to, like a cycle almost. But there's always something to break that cycle.
AnchorsANDbutterflys
September 24th, 2014 5:49am
Some people grow use to the feeling and find it comforting. To the point where they'd rather be in this state instead of get better, because sometimes getting better seems so hopeless and just accepting your feelings is much easier.
SoStrangeHere
January 1st, 2016 4:11pm
No, not always, and that's ok. People need to move at their own pace in order to get better for themselves. Even if they don't want to get better, they should be encouraged, not forced.
Anonymous
November 12th, 2014 1:34am
Some people are not always happy , or their afraid to be happy , but it's okay one day you'll be okay.
Anonymous
October 30th, 2014 7:44am
I do believe people always want to get better. Some just lose hope when fighting their battles. It's not always a matter of want, it's a matter of strength and faith.
Imhereforyouxx
November 14th, 2014 9:19am
People have different views and opinions on depression. Some would prefer "to go to a better place".
EchoHawke
September 11th, 2014 3:31am
That would be a hard question to give a direct answer to. I know when I was experiencing depression I felt stuck and didn't really want to do anything to get out of it. While that doesn't mean I didn't want to get out of it, I kinda felt like it was pointless. I'm sure there are people that find depression comfortable like I do, and to them, I hope everything gets brighter soon.
Ari
November 15th, 2014 2:46pm
Not always, some persons value the depression because one can spend more time with theirselves, so it's a inner develope... the thing is, the time is passing and you must be happy because the life is short.
Chiara900
November 13th, 2014 8:40pm
Not necessarily - some people dont find the strength to live anymore and at some point, when all their hope is lost, they start to accept that it's not going to get better - that doesn't mean that they don't want to be healthy and happy, but they are just not motivated to try anymore. However, in most cases a therapy and medication will help and there is always a chance that it's going to get better.
Anonymous
January 3rd, 2016 7:51pm
In my experience, yes. Many though reach a point where they don't care anymore, and everything has become pointless and they think things will never get better. This could result in a dangerous downslide and suicidal ideations.
Anonymous
November 6th, 2014 1:32am
no sometimes they don't even know that they are hurting themselves and sometimes they just get so use to it that it becomes a habit
Lucascondee
September 15th, 2014 9:49pm
Sometimes they try look up for a help, but not even they want, and when they come to you asking your help, then try help, because depression is something too bad is almost a sick.
Anonymous
October 1st, 2014 10:23pm
In my experience, depression often depends on the individual, his/her current life situation, and what feels "right" at the time, which may not always be "getting better". Sometimes, people may want to let themselves feel their emotions in order to understand the pain they are going through.
DevonT
February 7th, 2016 1:27pm
No, not everyone will "want" to get better. Sometimes, people suffering depression can't even see a reason to try to get better, and decide that getting better would be more trouble than it's worth. Despite this, seeking help is and will always be the best option.
Anonymous
November 3rd, 2014 4:34pm
When you're depressed it can feel like you're shielded from the world in a cold blanket. While it is terrifying to feel the numbness extend from the depths of your emotions to your body you somehow feel safe. People can insist that they are fine, even though their mind's a cesspool of negativity, self-hatred and pity.