Re: depression -- The PM Refugees' Forum

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, [2], 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 13:03:27 09/28/08 Sun
Author: BrianD
Subject: Re: depression
In reply to: Roger 's message, "Re: depression" on 09:49:23 09/27/08 Sat

>I suffered from depression for years without knowing
>it. About four years ago, a counsellor sent me to my
>doctor, who prescribed some antidepressants, and it
>has helped tremendously. I forgot to take my pills for
>a couple of days last week, and was getting miserable
>pretty quickly. The pills don't give me any highs, but
>they do stop me from falling into the pit as I used
>to.
>
>It has nothing to do with your temperament, it's a
>chemical imbalance in your brain. I think most people
>find me pleasant enough, though a little ponderous,
>and I can be morbid when my mood swings downward, but
>I'm not hard to live with. At least, I've been married
>for 31 years, and she's still here, so someone finds
>me livable.
>

Has this been proven that it is entirely a chemical imbalance? Or is only your particular depression a chemical imbalance?
People seem to think the chemical going-ons in the brain are distinct from conscious thought, but we know little to nothing about consciousness, so while it may have been discovered that certain chemicals become more prevalent when a person is depressed and that a pill can counter-act those, I don't think you can say it's entirely chemical as if you're the victim. Not saying you actively chose to be depressed, but I bet you've entertained depressive thoughts which in turn (however it occurs) resulted in excessive chemical output. Simply hindering said chemical, while effective in controlling depression in your consciousness, does not address depression itself in any way whatsoever. Not saying all this is a bad thing, but I just disagree that depression could be only reduced to calling it a chemical imbalance that you pop a pill for and that's that and not at all examine the conscious "why"s of depression.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]