Depression can be fun! A different approach

[rickiethecat]

Has anyone come across the website http://www.depressioncanbefun.com/ ?

 

It was in the paper earlier this week – the site was set up by a Sheffield woman who’d suffered with depression for years. She argues that – contrary to popular belief – depression can be a good thing, as it forces you to confront what it is in your life that’s making you unhappy and can prove to be a catalyst for change.

 

Here's the article that explains it.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1382895/Depression-good-you.html

 

 

I think this is a really refreshing attitude. I know it’s very fashionable to claim to have depression at the moment, but too many people these days use depression as an excuse for all sorts of things, from not working to staying in an unhappy relationship and often taking unnecessary heavy medication that turns them into zombies. Perhaps if you’re one of them you might like to visit this site?

[perplexed]

I can see depression as a catalyst for change, but It'd still be very traumatic to go through.

[KISS_Dev]

"very fashionable to have depression". Guess you've never been depressed or that you believe all that Daily Mail/Express rubbish that says depressed people just need to buck up a bit.

 

I've had a look at Helen McNallen's web-site. It says Helen is bio-polar. She must have put the site together on one of her up-phases because if she was down I doubt she would have managed to get out of bed.

 

Come on mate the country's in recession and the idea of a job for life or retiring at 50 are a pipe dream for most people. No wonder more people get ill.

[Fishcake]

I imagine if she had been in a manic phase it would be a lot more interesting, full of ideas about cures for cancer, stranege inventions and bizzare thoughts and opinions, which when the author reads in a down moment will cringe when they read it.

 

Depression isn't fun but with the right work can be useful IF you look at why you are depressed rather than pumping yourself full of drugs to become a zombie and put off your inevitable break down.

[Mister M]

depression can sometimes be your body's way of telling you that things have to change, and that tablets can sometimes be taken by people as a way of not having to confront painful issues.

 

I think the idea that depression can be fun trivialises what is a horrible illness. It feeds into this idea that it's a 'fashionable ilness', and used by malingerers to get time off work, or sympathy from people.

 

But as the article makes clear, the researchers said idea that depresion can be viewed as beneficial should only be applied to cases where the depression is mild

[rickiethecat]

"very fashionable to have depression". Guess you've never been depressed or that you believe all that Daily Mail/Express rubbish that says depressed people just need to buck up a bit.

 

I've had a look at Helen McNallen's web-site. It says Helen is bio-polar. She must have put the site together on one of her up-phases because if she was down I doubt she would have managed to get out of bed.

 

Come on mate the country's in recession and the idea of a job for life or retiring at 50 are a pipe dream for most people. No wonder more people get ill.

 

A lot of people claim to be depressed for a variety of reasons. It might be to win sympathy (Catherine Zeta Jones), make yourself appear more interesting (Stephen Fry) or just as a means of avoiding taking responsibility for your life. Helen McNallen is at least trying to use depression as positive means of making your life better and should be applauded rather than derided.

 

I wonder though whether some people with depression really want to be rid of it or and actually happier wallowing in their own misery?