Alright. I was going to go to bed but then this drifted into my view.
I HATE hearing people say this (although at least this person wasn’t nasty about it like most are, thank you for being nice, OP). I had an even longer post written up addressing each assertion in this image, but I won’t post it unless somebody asks because it draws so heavily on my own experience that I don’t even know how much it applies to other people who have depression. Our mileage may vary, as they say, our experiences are really diverse. This is based on mine.
The thing that stuck out to me as the least justifiable and most easily contested sentiment was the part about treatments. Yes, it does sound ignorant when you supply counseling and meds as alternatives as though at least one of those must work for everyone. They don’t. I’ve been on so many meds that I usually recognize them when they’re mentioned on CSI shows. I’ve been through enough counselors to throw a small but well attended party. It’s not even the counselor’s fault, it’s just a really hard thing to do because it is so personal and complicated. Don’t get me started on the glaring issues and inherent shortcomings in these systems. Even so, I consider myself lucky for even being able to afford the opportunity to try these things. I’ve met dozens of people who can’t and are forced to wrangle insurance companies or do without because they can’t get coverage, have terrible spotty coverage, or can’t afford coverage. Most of those people were in worse shape than I’ve ever been. At least half of them I’ve never heard from again. At least one of them I know for sure has died. The ones that did stay in touch and could afford treatment are in a constant cycle of improvement and backsliding. Reality is that for many people it might not ever go away. Depression is biologically and causally complex. Treating it is basically taking a shit in the dark when you’re not sure where the toilet is (or at least that’s what it seemed like when they were trying to treat me. Maybe it was more straight forward for others).
And no, free counseling is not always available. I went to University counseling a couple of times (not technically free because I pay to be there, but the closest I’ve ever experienced to free treatment). They are understaffed, overworked, and under-appreciated. They don’t do such a hot job. I wouldn’t either if I had multiple hundreds of cases to treat under those conditions. They’re good for people who just need someone to talk to, but often there needs to be more, and it’s hard to get that from them.
Group sessions are either great or bad with very little in between. For people who also have social anxiety, like me, halfhearted group sessions are incredibly uncomfortable. You also have to have the means to reach the sessions and the emotional wherewithal to be able to function in that environment. For a lot of people it doesn’t click, because the group dynamics need to be just right.
You might refuse to believe it, which is fine, but the fact that treatment is expensive and not always effective and not everyone has a good support system of family and friends (nor are they in a good position to attempt to build one from the ground up when they are severely depressed) is very real. Please don’t say that anyone who can’t find something that works for them is not trying hard enough or for some reason doing something wrong. DON’T MAKE THEM FEEL WORSE BY CALLING THEM SELFISH. DON’T GUILT TRIP THEM. IT’S NOT HELPFUL.
Thanks for your concern, though.
Source:
the-unpopular-opinions
cyansix reblogged your post: I lost a total of 20 people last night over sex…
THAT IS JUST CROSSING THE LINE OBVIOUSLY. People, man.
