Do people always want to get better from depression?
207 Answers
Last Updated: 10/12/2021 at 5:05am
Moderated by
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
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.
Some people feel as if because they are so depressed, that there is no purpose in trying to get better. So they just give up and, sadly, accept the fact they may never get better. But the only way to get better, is by wanting it.
Anonymous
June 6th, 2017 9:03pm
Some people have very extreme forms of depression that may not help them see that they do need help and therefore will not ask for it. It takes a lot for someone with depression to reach out for a helping hand as that is a challenge. People who suffer from it definitely dont want to experience it forever and will want to feel better but getting help may be something they find difficult to ask for or something they would not necessarily think they have to do to help themselves.
Anonymous
November 12th, 2014 4:53am
Of course, who doesn't want to get better? It's just that it takes time. Well, we all, sometimes, need to be sad, to be depressed to realize that everything will turn out for the better. There's a rainbow always after the rain.
No one person is the same so the answer to this question would depend solely on each person suffering from depression.
No. Sometimes depression is a familiar or even comforting feeling. It can be difficult to work towards being in a different place, with different feelings. Or sometimes depression can be part of a person's identity, and giving that up is hard even though that person would feel better in the end.
Anonymous
January 17th, 2016 6:07am
Its better but sometimes if you feel worse see someone to help . Because depressed can be overwhelming.
Anonymous
November 3rd, 2014 6:54am
Some (including myself) believe that happiness and peace are the objective goals of all human beings. Although some people may not actively attempt to work through their depression, it is my understanding that no one truly accepts a state of being depressed.
Not always but therapy and some times people who use medication and therapy (either or, sometimes both) can want to get better!
Anonymous
November 3rd, 2014 4:38am
Most people want to get better if they know they have it. However there are people, like me, where I didn't even know I had it until I read more about it and found out it's not just being sad or crying all the time.
Sometimes people do not really want to get better from depression because they think that they won't be able to do that. I believe that actually they find themself more comfortable in their situation, because they feel stable and it's always hard to change. I think it is important to make them feel helped and loved!
I would think most people do, unless for some reason they dismiss the idea that they are depressed. Some people don't want to admit they have a "problem," but there's absolutely nothing wrong with having depression, and with a bit of work, it can be managed in most cases. And really, if one had the option, why would one choose to be depressed when there's such a world of beauty and wonder all around us? :-)
Anonymous
April 10th, 2015 1:34am
not everyone..some may want to float and some might be in state to give up or some people maybe want to get out ...its only sometimes but most people wants to stay ..as depression is not a disease it depends in which situation or circumstance you are in ...it makes you depressed...it depends..whom ur ....conflicts are everywhere and how to solve you can ....get ya self back unless if you yourself want to get better.....
In most cases, yes, but some people are so in such a pit that they don't realize that their depression is keeping them from wanting to get better
Some people do, while others tend to take longer to make their own personal comeback. Not every person is the same.
Anonymous
January 29th, 2016 6:13am
Yes they do but they should accept that they are depressed. The person who never accepts he is depressed will not get better bcz he wont even try.
Not everybody does.. Sometimes it feels like you literally become your depression, that you are nothing without it.
No, people do not always want to get better from depression. I have personal experience with depression, and have known many people with this experience as well. Sometimes people feel some type of comfort within their depression, and people that haven't experienced this don't usually understand this. Also, self-harm is quite common within people that have depression, so people could find a sense of comfort within their self-harming as well. As humans we don't want to let go of our comfort, and we don't want the things we know and are used to to go away. This makes getting through depression even harder than it already is. But, you can get through it, even if someone doesn't want to, they will get better with time and help from close friends, family, therapists or other professional helpers, and even listeners on this site.
This is a bit of a tricky question. I don't know that anyone actually wants to be depressed. It's not a pleasant state to be in. However, the process of overcoming and treating depression can be very difficult, complicated, and demoralizing. So what can happen is that someone who is depressed no longer wants to take any steps that would be necessary to overcome their depression.
Because it is a mental illness. that affects the way they are feeling. It depresses there mood for no reason
Anonymous
January 21st, 2016 10:33pm
When people are depressed they're usually stuck in a hole, overwhelmed by symptoms of depression. To get out of this 'hole' is very difficult. Naturally human beings want to survive, they want to get better. But depression can make people feel bogged down and vulnerable. Finding the motivation to get better is always a struggle. But the desire to get better is always there.
Yes, definitely. Everyone deserves to be happy & live life. For them to think of being happy, they have to outlook the greater things.
Anonymous
January 10th, 2016 4:34pm
I think as depression is something that isn't necessarily always constant (so it's not like the person is depressed all the time, they can be happy sometimes as well), personally I find that when I'm depressed I want nothing more than for it to go away and to get better, and yet it's almost sick because sometimes I almost find myself missing it when I'm happy, almost like I want to be able to hide behind it and let it take over who I am, so yes and no.
Anonymous
January 6th, 2016 3:36pm
This is a hard question really. The obvious answer would be yes, as depression is so horrible to go through. But for a while my depression was going in phases, I would have episodes and feel pretty good in between and it was hard. At first, when I could finally feel happiness, I was so excited about recovery, even if it was temporary. But after a while, I began to feel lost. Depression was all I had known for years and it was almost familiar and comfortable, and I couldn't adjust to this new energetic life, and not being able to make excuses for myself or forgive myself.
As well as that, people deep in depression might not have the energy or motivation to recover and seek help, or simply not want to have to adjust to life apart from the illness.
Anonymous
December 31st, 2015 11:20pm
Depression can do a strange thing where in convinces people that they will never feel better. It's not necessarily that the person does not want to, but rather that they don't believe they can or will.
I do not believe so, taken from personal experience. When dealing with depression, I found myself feeling like I deserved to feel the way I did because I thought I had no reason to feel what I did. For a long time I just allowed myself to hurt and deal with it without seeking help because I didn't want it and I didn't want to get better. Now of course, things are different, but I say the answer to this question is no.
No, no we don"t. When your depressed it's hard to see something better than our state at that moment. We feel there is no hope for better or we don't deserve to be better.
Anonymous
January 9th, 2016 6:43am
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.
Some people don't want to get better from their depression, but after a while it's my opinion that most people do want to get better. Some people are not able to get help and relief from their depression.
Depression can cause a severe lack of motivation to do anything at all. It's characterized by a lack of positivity and enthusiasm, among other things. With this in mind: no, not everyone wants to get better. They simply can't see the positive side to recovery.
Related Questions: Do people always want to get better from depression?
What do you do when you have no passion or drive?My anxiety is getting worse and depression won't let me live my life, how do I overcome this?I feel sad a lot, unmotivated, and I often can't stop crying for many hours. But I sleep and eat decently and I also can smile or laugh sometimes. Am I depressed or just sad?How to get things done professionaly at work when I'm very depressed?How do I keep myself from getting to attached to people?I am struggling with codependency and depression. I cannot afford therapy. What can I do to get help?How do I help explain to a parent that what I feel is valid after they reacted badly?How can I open up to people more even if it scares me?How to deal with depression fallout?Why do I hate myself so much?