BlogHer - depression - Comments

Nordette You Got It

cluelesscrafter — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:11:00 -0600

Snarky responses are the only way to cope with the frightening results of this science. I'm considering this crazy talk.

http://www.thecluelesscrafter.com/

Hey, I'm all for this

Nordette — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:07:46 -0600

I'll take anything that implies I'm superior, and since I fight depression with regularity I'm all over this. O.K. Not really but kind of hoping this is one more sign pain has a divine purpose and the next time someone tells me I over-think and over-analyze, I'll just smile smugly and say, "That's because I'm more evolved than you, you happy person, you. Deal with it."

Postpartum depression, however, whole other animal.

Nordette Adams is a BlogHer CE & you can find her other stuff through Her 411.

I think there needs to be

emcgillivray — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:31:34 -0600

I think there needs to be a distinction between being clinically depressed, which is harmful to your health and even your life, and being just depressed/blue. Okay, being depressed/sad/blue can make you more analytical; that's great and possibly an evolutionary adaptation. Being clinically depressed is an illness and is not a good thing and in no way helps the evolution of humankind.

Erica

Sliver of Ice

This Research Can Screw Everyone Over

cluelesscrafter — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:24:32 -0600

There's quite a risk that these results will play down the importance of treating those with severe depression. I think this study should change the word "depression" to something like "melancholy" or "malaise," not something referring to a real medical problem.

Also, how do the drug companies react to this? Like hell they'd want us to kick off our crutches and shout "drugs are dead!"

http://www.thecluelesscrafter.com/

sigh bleh

wondergirl — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:07:53 -0600

Good response, Catherine. Surely no one conducting this research has suffered a severe depressive episode, because if they did this speculative evolutionary psychology theory would have not made it out of the starting gate. This is not the kind of study that should be out and available to the millions of people that are trying to get through depression. Dr. John Grohol's response on Psych Central is also great.

Argh

ozma — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:29:39 -0600

I hate that kind of speculative evolutionary psychology. BLEH. Such a stretch. We don't know why that gene was selected for. We don't even know if that gene's expression in depression is the thing being selected for.

Darn. I thought their research on religion and genes sounded interesting. On second thought, I realize that is hooey also.

The woman writing the Time article is even dumber. There is no necessary risk to an individual if they modify some evolutionary adaptation. We evolved to have hairy legs--should we not shave them? Why are people so dumb when it comes to evolution? Whereas we know depression can be risky. And even crippling.

Sorry. This type of evolutionary psychology infuriates me sometimes.

"Most men are within a finger's breadth of being mad." Diogenes

Really science? Are you going there?

the weirdgirl — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:40:05 -0600

Wow, this kind of reminds me of the researchers whose study "suggested" that left-handed people were brain damaged.

Interesting. And kind of BS, too.

alladither — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:23:24 -0600

I love Catherine's take on this information. Not only is depression a detriment to parenting effectively, it's pretty bad for the person living through it as well. If depression is related to suicide rates. Which, yeah... I'm quite sure it is.

Angie

www.alladither.com

www.HalfAssedKitchen.com

I'm so sorry for your loss...

Catherine Morgan — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:31:36 -0500

I'm so sorry for your loss...I can't even imagine. Thanks for sharing your story, it's important for people to know that all medications do not work the same for all people.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at Catherine-Morgan.com and Women4Hope

Well...

loraleechoate — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:51:46 -0500

I am just starting to talk publicly about this, but I had a suicide attempt after the death of my baby from SIDS in 2003.

While I was obviously depressed, I was misdiagnosed with Bipolar disorder and put on a pharmacy. I absolutely KNOW that being on anti-depressants contributed to the utter deterioration of my mental state and lead to that dark moment. I did not start getting better until I went off of everything.

BUT.

I know that they are lifesaving for many, many people.

I have tried them a few times, each time is a no-go, so I stopped trying.

I wish that they DID work for me. It would make many things easier.

I agree...

Catherine Morgan — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:12:29 -0500

Thanks for taking the time to talk about your personal experience with depression and anti-depressants. I totally agree with everything you've said...especially that taking anti-depressants is nothing to be ashamed about.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at Catherine-Morgan.com and Women4Hope

Depression & Risk of Suicide

pookielocks — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:06:50 -0500

I was first officially diagnosed with depression at age 19. My dr. told my mom to watch for increased suicidal tendencies. He explained that when kids/adults 1st go to the dr for depression, they're usually sooooo far down in the hole that they don't have the energy to go about acting on suicidal thoughts. as the meds start to work, they feel "better" & are more likely to act on those suicidal thoughts. i agree with that school of thought as i've been there and experienced it. i believe adults are more likely to take a step back & think through those moments & remember they have reason to live (like family, children, job etc) than teens and children are. by nature, they are more likely to be impulsive and in-the-moment.

i'm 32 now & still on meds. i'll most likely always been on some form of anti-depressant, but i am not ashamed by this. it's a chemical imbalace not unlike diabetes/insulin. i don't agree with shoving meds down every sad person's throat, but they work for me. meds do no solve interpersonal problems or issues, but they do help those of us who have a chemical balance be able to lead a more stress-free life than we would without them.

My latest BlogHer Post - Dolphins: The Truth About Our Friends From the Sea
SBAB &

Regarding Teenage Depression

Frances Ellen — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:47:35 -0500

I agree with Tserisa that depression must be treated on a case to case basis especially where teenagers are concerned. The problem with young people is that there is a fine line between normal teenage angst and abnormal teenage depression. A parent must be careful to avoid putting the notion into a youth’s head that there is a pill to cure everything. Once an anti-depressant is prescribed, there must be careful follow-ups every year to determine whether the pill is still necessary or not.

I hope I do not come off sounding like a person who is anti antidepressants. There have been instances when help, in the form of medications, has been crucial in my own life. My fear is that if you do not encourage a child to swim against a strong current by using his own inborn skills while he is a teenager, you may be forming an adult who will be unable to withstand a nasty rip-current when it hits later in life.

I’m saying: be careful, be sure, and then do what you must. A child’s life depends upon your choice. Make your best educated decision.

Frances Ellen is the Narrator of the Story of Nadia - The continuing fiction story of a card reader named Nadia. She is also the voice at Frances Ellen Speaks

Thanks for your comment....

Catherine Morgan — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:21:44 -0500

Thanks for your comment...I totally agree.

:-)

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at Catherine-Morgan.com and Women4Hope

Pro-Meds

Willful Woman — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:05:35 -0500

I have to say that the benefits of antidepressants most definitely outweigh the risks. I think the increase in the use of antidepression meds has to do with the fact that our society is finally getting more educated about mental illness. Medical breakthroughs have been made and people suffering from these diseases don't have to suffer in isolation or in institutions or in silence their whole lives any longer. There are viable treatments. There is not quite the same amount of shame associated with admitting you suffer from depression as there was in decades past. The stigma is beginning to lift. Depression and anxiety are debilitating and complex diseases that have stunted and prematurely ended too many lives.

The alternative is pushing people back into suffering in shame. Institutionalizing people, making them suffer in silence, lobotomizing them or giving them electric shock treatment (although even that has come a long way.) I think it is irresponsible to raise only the red flags of antidepressants when they have saved so many people's lives. There are still so many people out there who feel they should be able to "pull themselves up by their bootstraps" all by themselves without any help from anyone else even when they are in the middle of a mental health crisis. Playing on people's fears about antidepressants only discourages them from seeking help. Discussing the pros and cons of any medication with a trusted physician is how one decides when and what kind of medication to use. Do we use too much pain medication as a society? Should we just suck it up and accept that pain is a part of life? Do we take too much cholesterol-lowering medication in this country? Should we just deal with the fact that heart attacks are a part of life? If you are genetically-prone to a disease, you need to watch out for it. If it heads your way, you treat it. That's depression and anxiety. Period.

Always a... Willful Woman @ www.besidethestonewall.com Visitors always welcome! Bring your stories to share!

BlogHer - depression - Comments

Nordette You Got It

Hey, I'm all for this

I think there needs to be

This Research Can Screw Everyone Over

*sigh* bleh

Argh

Really science? Are you going there?

Interesting. And kind of BS, too.

I'm so sorry for your loss...

Well...

I agree...

Depression & Risk of Suicide

Regarding Teenage Depression

Thanks for your comment....

Pro-Meds

sigh bleh