Do you really need a doctor to tell you you're depressed?

[Saiwania]

You don't actually need a doctor for most illnesses, other than for a prescription to get medicines you need or if your broken bones need to be set the right way, perhaps for surgery and some other procedures that slip my mind.

Point being, you don't want to go to a doctor for every little thing, you want to deal with it yourself unless it gets worse and you tried everything. Don't forget that they charge you $100+ just to walk in the door to see them before they want to bill you for other stuff on top of that.

The medical professionals that don't trust patient self care, are really just upset at not being paid as often. They're shills wanting to fleece as much as they can out of you. Their prices often have no relation to what something actually costs, they just charge a high amount because they have the leverage to.

This is different in countries that have single payer systems or heavy subsidization or nationalized healthcare. Much cheaper in that situation, but the danger is that taxes can get to be too high over time.

[The Imperium Empires]

Its sort of a difficult question to answer, a regular doctor is trained to deal with biological issues where as something like depression falls under the area of psychology. Problem is psychology and their diagnosis are not exactly concrete and changing all the time, diagnosing things that aren't mental illnesses or conditions as if they were, and diagnosing things as something else. Overall if you are feeling depressed getting medical opinion is probably the best course of action.

[Saiwania]

Depression is no big deal in the grand scheme of things in my view. Either suck it up or deal with it on your own. Don't get therapy or whatever unless you don't mind losing lots of money in the process.

[The Imperium Empires]

Depression is no big deal in the grand scheme of things in my view. Either suck it up or deal with it on your own. Don't get therapy or whatever unless you don't mind losing lots of money in the process.

The problem with that train of thought is that a lot of people are unable to deal with it, this may indicate depression may not be entirely mental but possibly have some biological connections.

[Saiwania]

The problem with that train of thought is that a lot of people are unable to deal with it, this may indicate depression may not be entirely mental but possibly have some biological connections.

Some depression can only be treated with medication, but some of it is exclusively mental. People still aren't going to want the government to pay for such people's medications if the majority of people don't have any such problems. It is already a tall order for people to want to spend anything on welfare for the poor.

Think of all the people who were depressed throughout history before depression medications existed. Obviously they managed or committed suicide. This suggests that it is optional to treat depression and it can be managed with enough willpower or coping. Plenty of things in the world make people sad, it can't be helped. This is the way its always been.

[Geneviev]

The problem with that train of thought is that a lot of people are unable to deal with it, this may indicate depression may not be entirely mental but possibly have some biological connections.

Some depression can only be treated with medication, but some of it is exclusively mental. People still aren't going to want the government to pay for such people's medications if the majority of people don't have any such problems. It is already a tall order for people to want to spend anything on welfare for the poor.

Think of all the people who were depressed throughout history before depression medications existed. Obviously they managed or committed suicide. This suggests that it is optional to treat depression and it can be managed with enough willpower or coping. Plenty of things in the world make people sad, it can't be helped. This is the way its always been.

Depression is an actual illness. It's not just being sad.

[Andsed]

Depression is no big deal in the grand scheme of things in my view. Either suck it up or deal with it on your own. Don't get therapy or whatever unless you don't mind losing lots of money in the process.

..Are you fucking serious!? Do you have any clue on what it actually means to be depressed?!

[The Imperium Empires]

The problem with that train of thought is that a lot of people are unable to deal with it, this may indicate depression may not be entirely mental but possibly have some biological connections.

Some depression can only be treated with medication, but some of it is exclusively mental. People still aren't going to want the government to pay for such people's medications if the majority of people don't have any such problems. It is already a tall order for people to want to spend anything on welfare for the poor.

Think of all the people who were depressed throughout history before depression medications existed. Obviously they managed or committed suicide. This suggests that it is optional to treat depression and it can be managed with enough willpower or coping. Plenty of things in the world make people sad, it can't be helped. This is the way its always been.

You are possibly right in the sense sometimes it is entirely mental and with effort people can overcome it. The key word there is 'sometimes', a large majority of people with depression require medication because willpower is often not enough. In regards to people of the past, said people were considered mentally ill, weak and told to get over it which more fine than not didn't work.

[Cekoviu]

No, you do. Just feeling down in the dumps or stressed out does not mean you're depressed or have clinical anxiety, and probably 75% or more of people self-diagnose based on that.

[Scomagia]

No. Clinical depression is a distinct, chronic problem but anyone can become depressed for a period of time. It doesn't take a doctor to tell you that you are actively depressed. A diagnosis for an actual depressive disorder should come from a doctor.

[Neanderthaland]

Depression is no big deal in the grand scheme of things in my view. Either suck it up or deal with it on your own. Don't get therapy or whatever unless you don't mind losing lots of money in the process.

..Are you fucking serious!? Do you have any clue on what it actually means to be depressed?!

The answers is always "yes." Saiwania is serious. And, "no." He doesn't know what he's talking about.

[Rojava Free State]

..Are you fucking serious!? Do you have any clue on what it actually means to be depressed?!

The answers is always "yes." Saiwania is serious. And, "no." He doesn't know what he's talking about.

Saiwana lives in a world even more brutal than our own which scares me. You either kill or die in his dystopia

[Nakena]

..Are you fucking serious!? Do you have any clue on what it actually means to be depressed?!

The answers is always "yes." Saiwania is serious. And, "no." He doesn't know what he's talking about.

I believe so too.

[Kowani]

The problem with that train of thought is that a lot of people are unable to deal with it, this may indicate depression may not be entirely mental but possibly have some biological connections.

Some depression can only be treated with medication, but some of it is exclusively mental. People still aren't going to want the government to pay for such people's medications if the majority of people don't have any such problems. It is already a tall order for people to want to spend anything on welfare for the poor.

Think of all the people who were depressed throughout history before depression medications existed. Obviously they managed or committed suicide. This suggests that it is optional to treat depression and it can be managed with enough willpower or coping. Plenty of things in the world make people sad, it can't be helped. This is the way its always been.

How in the absolute fuck did you look at that and say “Yeah. That makes sense.”

[Grand Britannia]

Yes.

t. 10 years with depression

[Herador]

There's a valley of difference between "man, this week sucks, I feel really down." and "I can't remember the last time I was happy and the only escape from the hellscape of my life is to overdose."

Two pretty extreme positions, no? Well, that's the point, there's a huge amount of difference between the two, and then we have situational or biological factors that cause these things as well, which a professional is trained to look for and examine. You can really believe that it's safely in the "I'll get over it, it's a bad week." camp and years later find out that, no, you were clinically depressed and living miserably because that's just how you assumed it was supposed to be. It happens more often than you think. But let's keep going with a long line of things that are essential to treating and overcoming clinical depression and anxiety that are impossible to do without professional help. So, after you actually see the Therapist for the first time, we have a question: do we go with the bog-standard CBT or DBT? Life coaching? A Project-Based approach? Another one of the plethora of treatment methods? A combination of two or several? Would the person benefit from a group setting either with strangers or close family members? How would this group approach mix with the other parts of the treatment?

Then there's medication, with the first question being: do you need it? if you do need it there's a whole new professional right there and they need to work with the first to decide if medication is the right avenue. That professional might also be looking at you from a different point of view and find that your depression is either caused by or causing a separate problem (the first might notice this as well) which requires a reevaluation of the treatment plan to factor this in. Example being me: ADHD for most of my life which, along with life events and social factors caused depression and anxiety. This combined with a family history of serious mental illness is something only a team can really help me suss out. This is not exactly uncommon either.

Yeah, I'd say you need to talk to a Therapist and Psychologist if you're feeling depressed.

[Rojava Free State]

Yes.

t. 10 years with depression

Had it for 6 years or so myself, and before anyone asks, I did indeed go and see a psychiatrist who diagnosed me with Dysthymic syndrome, or persistent depressive disorder. I overcame it around senior year in highschool, ironically after a friend died

[Greater vakolicci haven]

in my second year of university (going into year 5 now because yes I really am that bad at adulting), I found it very difficult to get out of bed, much less engage with anything. The fact I managed to pass that year amazes me, as people who know me will attest I was not in a good state at all. I just about managed lectures, but social situations would simply lead to me getting very very drunk very very quickly and doing something stupid, adding more self-loathing into the mix. It got to the point where I almost didn't go to an event which I'd payed 45 pounds to go to, which would seriously annoy a lot of people if I didn't show up for, which if I didn't show up I could kiss any idea of getting more involved in politics goodbye. That was the thing which gave me the strength to actually seek help.

The doctors just told me what I already knew and which all of my friends had been telling me 'you're depressed, this not good, etc.' I don't think they helped though, aside from having a diagnosis I could put on forms when I'd missed a deadline, which might answer the question about how I managed to pass.

[North German Realm]

Yes. depression is a recorded mental disorder, the layman isn't supposed to recognize it. The larger problem/question that this is also part of is two distinct queries that should be given attention to separately: 1- Is psychiatry a distinct medical practice or is it hocum? and 2- Is self-diagnosis acceptable?

Because when you ask "should we need doctors to tell us if we're depressed?", you're either delegitimizing psychology and psychiatry into something even the layman can make decisions about; or you're basically delegitimizing medicine as a practice in general. Psychiatry is a distinct medical practice, and self-diagnosis (As long as you're not a doctor, I guess) is never acceptable. You did not study the field for years. You are not qualified to make decisions when there are other options.

[ImperialRussia]

no you really need to go the gym

[Rojava Free State]

no you really need to go the gym

I already do and I'm not depressed.this is a hypocritical question akin to that other thread "should we release the titans." It isn't based on something happening in my life

[Chestaan]

I think it should go without saying that by making self-diagnosing okay in any capacity you make it easier for people to exploit for attention. This in turn very much risks undermining and delegitimizes people who are actually depressed.

But why does a person need to be diagnosed with depression? Depression due to biological factors I can understand needs a medical diagnosis, but if you feel isolated or feel like you've lost everything, are you not depressed? Does a man in a white coat need to tell you what you already feel?

Could be depression, could be bipolar disorder or something else. Generally anyway the point of diagnosing Major Depressive Disorder is so that it can be treated with antidepressants.

[Chestaan]

The problem with that train of thought is that a lot of people are unable to deal with it, this may indicate depression may not be entirely mental but possibly have some biological connections.

Some depression can only be treated with medication, but some of it is exclusively mental. People still aren't going to want the government to pay for such people's medications if the majority of people don't have any such problems. It is already a tall order for people to want to spend anything on welfare for the poor.

Think of all the people who were depressed throughout history before depression medications existed. Obviously they managed or committed suicide. This suggests that it is optional to treat depression and it can be managed with enough willpower or coping. Plenty of things in the world make people sad, it can't be helped. This is the way its always been.

The fact that a disease didn'tt always have a cure does not mean that it is optional to treat it. Smallpox didn't have a cure or vaccine for hundreds, possibly thousands of years but that doesn't mean that treating it is optional

[Grand Britannia]

Yes.

t. 10 years with depression

Had it for 6 years or so myself, and before anyone asks, I did indeed go and see a psychiatrist who diagnosed me with Dysthymic syndrome, or persistent depressive disorder. I overcame it around senior year in highschool, ironically after a friend died

I've had it on and off, exercise works better in keeping it under control than SSRIs imo.

[Rojava Free State]

Had it for 6 years or so myself, and before anyone asks, I did indeed go and see a psychiatrist who diagnosed me with Dysthymic syndrome, or persistent depressive disorder. I overcame it around senior year in highschool, ironically after a friend died

I've had it on and off, exercise works better in keeping it under control than SSRIs imo.

I'm against using medication unless it's absolutely necessary. Certain disorders such as schizophrenia require drugs to treat it, while other issues just dont. If you're sad that your mom died, it's better to deal with it by talking with people than taking a shitload of dope.