“Myths and Facts About Depression”

Myth: Hard Work Beats Depression - Depression affects nearly one in six people at some point in their lives, so folk remedies and half-truths about this common illness abound. One such idea: throw yourself into work and you'll feel better. For a mild case of the blues, this may indeed help, but depression is a different animal. Overworking can actually be a sign of clinical depression, especially in men.

Myth: It's Not a Real Illness - Depression is a serious medical condition -- and the top cause of disability in American adults. But it's still confused with ordinary sadness. Biological evidence of the illness comes from studies of genetics, hormones, nerve cell receptors, and brain functioning. Nerve circuits in brain areas that regulate mood appear to function abnormally in depression.

Fact: Men Fly Under the Radar - A depressed man, his loved ones, and even his doctor may not recognize depression. That's because men are less likely than women to talk about their feelings -- and some depressed men don't appear sad or down. Instead, men may be irritable, angry, or restless. They may even lash out at others. Some men try to cope with depression through reckless behavior, drinking, or drugs.

Myth: Depression Is Just Self-Pity - Our culture admires will power and mental toughness and is quick to label anyone who falls back as a whiner. But people who have clinical depression are not lazy or simply feeling sorry for themselves. Nor can they "will" depression to go away. Depression is a medical illness -- a health problem related to changes in the brain. Like other illnesses, it usually improves with appropriate treatment.

Fact: Anyone Can Get Depressed - Poet or linebacker, shy or outgoing, anyone from any ethnic background can develop depression. The illness is twice as common in women as in men, but it may be that women are more likely to seek help. It's often first noticed in the late teens or 20s, but an episode can develop at any age. Tough personal experiences can sometimes trigger depression in people who are at risk for the illness. Or it may develop out of the blue.

Fact: It Can Sneak Up Slowly - Depression can creep up gradually, which makes it harder to identify than a sudden illness. A bad day turns into a rut and you start skipping work, school, or social occasions. One type, called dysthymia, can last for years as a chronic, low-level illness – a malaise that silently undermines your career and relationships. Or depression can become a severe, disabling condition. With treatment, many feel substantial relief in 4-6 weeks.

Myth: Help Means Drugs for Life - Despite the buzz about a "Prozac Nation," medication is only one of the tools used to lift depression. Asking for help doesn't necessarily mean your doctor will advise medications, although medicines can often be very helpful for significant forms of depression. Studies suggest, though, that "talk" therapy works as well as drugs for mild to moderate depression. Even if you do use antidepressants, it probably won’t be for life. Your doctor will help you determine the right time to stop your medication.

Myth: Depressed People Cry a Lot - Not always. Some people don't cry or even act terribly sad when they're depressed. Instead they are emotionally "blank" and may feel worthless or useless. Even without dramatic symptoms, untreated depression prevents people from living life to its fullest -- and takes a toll on families.

Fact: Family History Is Not Destiny - If depression appears in your family tree, you're more likely to get it too. But chances are you won't. People with a family history can watch for early symptoms of depression and take positive action promptly -- whether that means reducing stress, getting more exercise, counseling, or other professional treatment.

Myth: Depression Is Part of Aging - Most people navigate the challenges of aging without becoming depressed. But when it does occur, it may be overlooked. Older people may hide their sadness or have different, vague symptoms: food just doesn't taste good anymore, aches and pains worsen, or sleep patterns change. Medical problems can trigger depression in seniors -- and depression can slow recovery from a heart attack or surgery.

Fact: Depression Imitates Dementia - In seniors, depression can be the root cause of memory problems, confusion, and in some cases, delusions. Caregivers and doctors may mistake these problems for signs of dementia, or an age-related decline in memory. Getting treatment lifts the cloud for the majority of older people with depression. Psychotherapy can also be a useful part of treatment for older adults with depression who may be coping with loss, medical illnesses, or other life changes.

Myth: Talking Makes Things Worse - People were once advised not to "dwell on" problems by talking about them. Today, there's evidence that guided discussions with a professional can make things much better. Different types of psychotherapy help treat depression by addressing negative thought patterns, unconscious feelings, or relationship troubles. The first step is to talk to a mental health professional.

Fact: Positive Thinking May Help - The old advice to "accentuate the positive" has advanced into a practice that can ease depression. It’s called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). People learn new ways of thinking and behaving. Distorted negative self-talk and behavior is identified and replaced with more accurate and balanced ways of thinking about yourself and the world. Used alone or with medication, CBT works for many people.

Myth: Teens Are Unhappy by Nature - Although many teens are moody, argumentative, and intrigued by "the dark side," prolonged sadness or irritability is not normal for teens. When unhappiness lasts more than two weeks, it may be a sign of depression -- which develops in about one in 11 teens. Other signs a teen may need help include: being constantly sad or irritable even with friends, taking no pleasure in favorite activities, or a sudden drop in grades.

Fact: Exercise Is Good Medicine - Very good studies now show that regular, moderately intense exercise can improve symptoms of depression and work as well as some medicines for people with mild to moderate depression. Exercising with a group or a good friend adds social support, another mood booster.

Myth: Depression Is Tough to Treat - The reality is most people who take action to lift their depression do get better. In a large study by the National Institute of Mental Health, 70% of people became symptom-free through medications -- though not always with the first medicine. Studies show that the best treatment is often a combination of medication and talk therapy.

Fact: It's Not Always Depression - Some life events cause sadness or disappointment, but do not become clinical depression. Grief is normal after a death, divorce, loss of a job, or diagnosis with a serious health problem. One clue of a need for treatment: the sadness is constant every day, most of the day. When people are weathering difficult times appropriately, they can usually be distracted or cheered up for short periods of time.

Fact: Hope for Better Days Is Real - In the depths of depression, people may think there's no hope for a better life. This hopelessness is part of the illness, not a reality. With treatment, positive thinking gradually replaces negative thoughts. Sleep and appetite improve as the depressed mood lifts. And people who've seen a counselor for talk therapy are equipped with better coping skills to deal with the stresses in life that can get you down.

Reviewed by: Joseph Goldberg, MD on January 11, 2018

Sources:

AARP.
Cochrane Review.
Consumer Reports web site.
Dartmouth Guide to Understanding Depression vs. Sadness.
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.
Gallo, J.J. American Family Physician, 1999.
Harvard Health Publications.
Kessler, R.C. Archives of General Psychiatry, June 2005.
Mental Health America.
Merikanga, K.R. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. October 2010.
National Alliance on Mental Illness.
National Institute of Mental Health.
National Institutes of Health.

WebMD

“There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.” (John Green)

“Sometimes you climb out of bed in the morning and you think, I’m not going to make it, but you laugh inside – remembering all the times you’ve felt that way, and yet you’re still here.” (Author Unknown)

“And if today all you did was hold yourself together, I’m proud of you.” (Healthy Place)

“Sometimes, life will kick you around, but sooner or later, you realize you’re not just a survivor. You’re a warrior, and you’re stronger than anything life throws your way.” (Brooke Davis)

“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” (Helen Keller)

“Just when the caterpillar thought the world was ending, she became a butterfly.” (Barbara Haines Howett)

“You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.” (Margaret Thatcher)

“The sun is a daily reminder that we too can rise again from the darkness, that we too can shine our own light.” (Sara Ajna)

“When people don’t know exactly what depression is, they can be judgmental.” (Marlon Cotillard)

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” (Author Unknown)

“Stop hating yourself for everything you aren’t and start loving yourself for everything you already are.” (Recovery Experts)

“Depression is being colorblind and constantly told how colorful the world is.” (Atticus)

“Remember sadness is always temporary. This too, shall pass.” (Chuck. T. Falcon)

“Victory is always possible for the person who refused to stop fighting.” (Napoleon Hill)

 “Your mental health is more important than the test, the interview, the lunch date, the meeting, the family dinner, and the grocery run. Take care of yourself.” (Healthy Place)

“Never forget how far you’ve come. Everything you have gotten through. All the times you have pushed on even when you felt you couldn’t. All the mornings you got out of bed no matter how hard it was. All the times you wanted to give up but you got through another day. Never forget how much strength you have learned and developed.” (Author Unknown)

“You must make a decision that you are going to move on. It won’t happen automatically. You will have to rise up and say, ‘I don’t care how hard this is, I don’t care how disappointed I am, I’m not going to let this get the best of me. I’m moving on with my life.” (Author Unknown)

“No one has the right to make you feel worthless. Not even you.” (Author Unknown)

“The lotus is the most beautiful flower, whose petals open one by one. But it will only grow in the mud. In order to grow and gain wisdom, first you must have the mud – the obstacles of life and its suffering.” (Goldie Hawn)

“Being angry, anxious, defeated, and depressed, are NOT God’s plans for you.” (Robert E. Baines, Jr.)

“When you can’t control what’s happening, challenge yourself to control the way you respond to what’s happening. That’s where your power is.” (Mella Reese)

“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.” (Lance Armstrong)

“You have to stop thinking that you’ll be stuck in this situation forever. We tend to feel like our problems will always be there and our heart will never heal. But don’t confuse a season for a lifetime. Even your problems have an expiration date. You’ll change, life will move on, things will work out.” (Author Unknown)

“You wake up every morning to fight the same demons that left you so tired the night before, and that, my love, is bravery.” (Author Unknown)

“On particularly rough days when I’m sure I can’t possibly endure, I like to remind myself that my record for getting through bad days so far, is 100% and that’s pretty good.” (Healthy Place)

“You must tell yourself, no matter how hard it is, or how hard it gets, I’m going to make it.” (Les Brown)

“All it takes is a beautiful fake smile to hide an injured soul and they will never notice how broken you really are.” (Robin Williams)

“The only way OUT is THROUGH!” (Author Unknown)

“You’re a fighter. Look at everything you’ve overcome. Don’t give up now.” (Olivia Benson)

“The most beautiful people are those who have known suffering and have found their way out of the depths.” (Elisabeth Kubler-Ross)

“The bravest thing I have ever done was continuing to live when I wanted to die.” (Juliette Lewis)

“Without rain, nothing grows. Learn to embrace the storms of your life.” (Author Unknown)

“Breathe. It’s just a bad day, not a bad life.” (Author Unknown)

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The Goal is to Always Make You Aware of What Concerns Your Body, Soul and Spirit, So You Can Have Open, Honest and Frequent Discussions With Your Physicians and Counselors. You Can’t Treat or Cure What You Don’t Know is Sick.

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"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)

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