Do people always want to get better from depression?
207 Answers
Last Updated: 10/12/2021 at 5:05am
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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
No not always, some people are depressed for such a long period of time they give up on getting better and start to believe there is no way to recover
Not always. Speaking personally, as someone with depression, for a while I didn't want to get better because being depressed was my normal. I was so used to being depressed that I didn't know how to be happy, and i didn't think I deserved happiness.
Despite how awful depression makes someone feel, some might find an unusual sense of comfort in the sadness, or some people feel that they are more creative when they are depressed. However, depression seriously hinders the ability to enjoy life and function as a person would like to. Therefore, I think people always want to get better from depression, but might feel comfortable in the depression. Happiness may be outside their comfort zone after being so used to being depressed. Just like when someone wants to swim, but doesn't know how, so swimming and being in the pool is outside their comfort zone and might take a while to adjust to.
Not always. Sometimes people feel like there is no way out for them. Sometimes people do want to get better.
I think deep down just about everyone wants to get better on some level, but it can be very hard to find enough reason to want to get help and get better.
Everyone -wants- to, sometimes it's just hard to find a reason why, or to see how life can get better, I've been there, it's a struggle, every day.
Like most illnesses, it is difficult to find any upsides without being extra optimistic, which is a catch 22 as depression usually sucks a lot of that energy out of a person. So personally, I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't want to get better. Though it is hard to muster the strength to reach out for help that doesn't mean people who are depressed aren't trying. The people I have known and know usually want to get better and live their life away from all the pain depression can cause.
Anonymous
October 27th, 2014 2:11am
Unfortunately, not always. Recovery can seem like a scary thing to some. It can require stepping out of one's comfort zone and putting more effort than he/she is willing to give. Once someone decides they want to get better from depression, however, recovery is very, very worth it.
Not always. Some people will deny their depression or say that it is less of a problem than it actually is.
No, I think it depends on how the person wants to live their life. It all depends on the person and how they feel about their illness.
Most people do want to, its taking the right steps and pushing yourself in the right direction. You must be willing to change, improve yourself for the depression to get any better.
There are people, they do or don't want things all the time. Not everyone wants to get better, some are in love with their victim-hood state. I can say it, because I've lived it. The one major thing that helped me recover a great deal from my depression was the day I watched a video by louis Hay "You can heal your life" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL2yaSKLX_4 . I learned that if we can change our thinking, we can change our life. I have problems sure, but I will never sit here and tell you it will never get better, because I know by saying that, it will be my truth.
Sometimes while struggling from depression it's easy for one to lose sight of that light at the end of the tunnel and it may seem as though things will never get better. It takes time to get better. Sometimes you just have to wait and be proactive about looking for that light again.
Deep down, yes I believe so. But sometimes when you've suffered from depression for a long time it's hard to see how things could ever get better. So sometimes people don't believe it's possible anymore because of the hopelessness and helplessness they feel.
Some people don't even know they're depressed, its an extremely confusing thing, depression. But everyone I've talked to with and myself, wished to be rid of our depression. Its hard to live with.
Anonymous
June 18th, 2015 1:40am
No. Not always. Sometimes it is hard to imagine a life without depression. They cling to it, or just aren't reasy to let go yet. It's completely understandable :)
Anonymous
June 18th, 2015 4:14am
Sometimes people find comfort in their depression; it's what they're used to. That means they don't always want to get better.
Yes, no one likes to feel alone, and lay numb for hours in bed. They try to push themselves to do things that they were once interested in.
Anonymous
November 16th, 2015 7:21pm
There are first level wants and second level wants. For example, a first level want might be to want to eat a cake, while a second level want might be to eat more healthily.
When someone is depressed they can often feel disconnected, or, you know, depressed, in a way which interferes with their desire not to be depressed, in the same way the first level desire to eat a cake can interfere with a second level desire to eat more healthily.
So, no. The person who is being depressed may not have a first level 'want' to get better at all times.
Some people don't think they have a problem, or that there's no chance of them getting better anyways. Their own depression can blind them from realizing that they need help.
Anonymous
December 11th, 2015 12:47pm
some do, some are used to the feeling and dont really want to change, it may be their way of comfort as they've got used to it
Not always. Some people with depression think they deserve it, so they don't seek out help. It's different for everyone.
Sometimes they unwillingly don't want to get better from depression because it's their environment or some people which give them some sort of scenario that they want to stay depre9or they think that they cannot get away from this feeling.
I hope that everyone wants to get better in dealing with depression but some people are okay with being depressed because they've dealt with it for so long and have become use to it and havent got the necessary help that they need.
Sometimes a part of you can resist getting better from depression, which sounds really strange. Sometimes, especially if you have been ill for a long time, depression can feel like an important part of your personality, like the only thing that makes you interesting (I can promise you that it isn't). Sometimes it's comforting, even though it's horrible. It's familiar, and any kind of change is hard. So if you aren't sure that you want to get better, you aren't alone, but maybe think about the pros and cons of getting better and see what you think.
Some people are so invested in their depressive thinking that getting better does not appear to be an option.
Not necessarily. Some people think they are meant to be sad, and there is no help for them. So they stick with the thought of "I will be depressed forever, and nothing can change that." However, it's best to tell those people that they can be helped.
Anonymous
December 13th, 2015 6:49pm
No because it's comfortable being depressed a lot of the time. I know when I was depressed I didn't want to get better because it was comfortable place for me but now I'm glad I did
Anonymous
December 13th, 2015 8:18pm
Even if most people seem like they just wanna give up, EVERYone wants help. So if you or someone you know is depressed come online here! And we can chat (:
Anonymous
December 13th, 2015 10:23pm
i believe they do, no one wants to be down in the dumps, everyone wants to smile and be expressive and have moods that cast a dark shadow over them.
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