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DepressionandSuicide

Overcoming Obstacles to Treatment of Clinical Depression

Why is it that 75% of people with depression
don't seek treatment ?

Why Not ? What holds them back ?

Why don't they do something about it ?

The truth is - so many just can't do it - even though they suffer needlessly, or commit suicide.

The very symptoms of depression, the very despair and hopelessness, and the pain caused by so many other self-perpetuating thoughts and feelings - literally immobilize.

How family members, society as a whole, and how we ourselves perceive and react to depression can literally paralyze any efforts a person might make toward getting help.

Snap out of it
Decide for it to stop
"Will" it away

We all feel depressed sometimes.
Grin and bear it (actually, we - depressed people - do this a lot !!)
"Smile even though your heart is breaking"

Get a life, Get a grip, Get over it
Life is hard for all of us - what makes you so special !?
Oh, boo, hoo, she's gonna go kill herself ! What a manipulator ! She uses that to get whatever she wants. (These things were said about me.)

Will they believe you ?
Will you be taken seriously ?
Or will they make you feel foolish, weak, and horribly embarrassed ?
Will you be left alone once again with those dark and deadly emotions ?

There are lots of sufferers who just don't know they have depression, and innocently blame their misery and suffering on family, other people, and life circumstances.

Symptoms like

general unhappiness
low self-esteem
oversensitivity
difficulty getting along with others

are innocently blamed on other people and life circumstances.

"If the things and people in my life would
change, I would be alright..."

if only someone loved me
if I could stop fighting with my family
if I could make more money
if I weren't so tired
if only I were thin

It's the stress
The kids
The marriage
The job

"If only things were different,
I wouldn't feel so depressed"

If only they knew that it's HAVING Depression that CREATES lives where no one gets along and nothing works out.

It's just so hard to come to terms with these horrible feelings.

At first, you really don't get it - you don't know what's wrong.
We don't always know or even question our feelings.
You just push forward to get through the day.
You push it away - try to ignore how you feel.
Don't stop - don't talk about it - keep moving - keep working - hoping it will go away.
Sometimes you'll break down

Am I going crazy, or having a "nervous breakdown ?"

It takes time to realize... something is really wrong.

You try to get tough with it & tell yourself, "There's nothing WRONG with me."

Maybe you'll drink, or smoke, take drugs, or have an affair to cover it up.

There are lots of depressed people underneath cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, infidelity, and so on.
Nobody wants to have depression.

Depression comes with Utter Guilt, Shame, & Embarrassment for having these feelings.

We can feel it's Our Own Fault
We are weak, cowardly, wimpy for "giving in" to "feelings" and "weak" emotions.
Aren't we strong enough to "fight it ?"

"What's wrong with me - why can't I shake this ?"

Aren't we tougher than that ?
Do we have a lack of strength or goodness in our character or personality ?
Are we bad & deserve to be punished ?

We see our lives as meaningless & hopeless

We should never have been born.
It is our destiny to die
.
Treatment is hopeless
It's all drugs & psychotherapy
Nothing is going to help now or ever - Not enough to make living worthwhile.

We may fear losing control over our lives
We may fear not having choice, control or understanding of treatments

Fear of Being

dependant on antidepressant drugs
labeled "mentally ill"
locked up in an institution - drugged or hospitalized against our will
lost in the hands of the mental health system

Fear of change

There is even the fear of letting go of the depression itself.
Fear of letting go of the life you have known for a new and better life.
It may be the only life you have ever known.
What will it be like, how will you feel, who will you be ?

A healthy brain chemistry creates a healthy reality.

that this depression is your fault
that you will never get better
and that you must die.

Don't die of embarrassment, guilt or shame

Biology isn't personal.
Biology isn't our fault.

Your biochemistry isn't a character flaw or personal weakness.

There is no shame in having diabetes, heart disease, cancer, Parkinson's, Huntington's ALS, EMS, MS, Alzheimer's, appendicitis, or being hit by car !!

Other people will get other diseases. You have this one.

Depression is truly an innocent, shameless, blameless, physical disorder that makes you believe that something is wrong with YOU instead of your biochemistry.
.
It is not a mystery anymore. It isn't your fault & you have a physical disorder, imbalance or deficiency.
.
And the more you know & learn about your own biochemistry, the more often you will be able to see yourself and your illness as separate from yourself a split second at a time.