|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 6:24 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 7:59 pm
 |
|
|
|
I have to say something about depression. My grandmother and my father both have seasonal depression. So do I. (self-diagnosed) My mother and 3 of my friends don't believe in depression. Some people without depression don't actually have depression, they're just gloomy people. There are too many people who try to find an easy fix for their problems, like a little happy pill. I'm not one of those people. I have just let my parents know that in the changing of autumn to winter, I have severe depression.
In mid-november to early december, I feel so down. Over the past 3 years, in that time, I have written 5 different suicide notes and sat down in the bath with a knife. I eventually talk myself out of it, but I have had some close calls. I just feel so worthless, like scum. And everything that has ever bothered me boils up to the surface in that month. But my family and friends know that that's the time when I need them the most. And so that's when I receive comfort. All the other times of the year, I'm chipper and generally a very happy person. It's just such a dramatic change in my personality that they know that it's real.
That's all I needed to say about depression. But I have had anxiety attacks before, that's because I have a phobia. A phobia of butterflies. Stupid, I know. But I can't help it. When I see a butterfly, moth, or caterpillar, I freeze up, I can't breathe, tears start running and I cannot speak or shout. It's a struggle every day. Because butterflies are rather prevelant where I live. It sucks, it really does.
Schizophrenia, I just feel so sorry for those people. Many times it's caused by a parasite called Toxoplasma Gondii, which gives you a mental illness named Toxoplasmosis, which in the later stages can lead to schizophrenia. It's a horrible disease, hearing voices all the time. Whenever I hear my named called while I'm the shower I get out and call "Hey Mom!" but then it turns out my mum isn't home. That really freaks me out, but to have that all of the time? Wow, what a shitty existence.
And for retardation, I don't feel sorry for them. They don't actually have to deal with issues. I feel sorry for their parents. Same with autistic kids, because I've known a few. (My aunt is an Educational Assistant, she's the one who teaches them in schools) It's scary because many times they can be violent.
Wowwwwwww, long post.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 6:14 am
|
|
|
 |
tearingXheavenXdown I'm not sure what you mean by "can't be helped." There are medications for a lot of the mental diseases you listed... excepting, of course, cancer and mental retardation, as well as autism, to my knowledge. There's a difference between major depressive disorder and the lesser forms. Most people with depression do not reside in the psych ward. Most, like myself, have found a way to fit into society like the rest of the population. But there are people medications can't help. Supposedly if one has suicidality, antidepressants can increase the risk... and they aren't approved for under-20's. So I sort of see your point. I think eventually there will be an effective cure for those, it will take time though, and lots of it.
As far as what I meant by "can't be helped," I more meant "can't blame them for it." There are people out there who feel like mental illness is somehow something people have brought upon themselves, or that they have it in their power to "just snap out of it" themselves, but won't.
That's not the way I feel, I've just encountered that attitude before.
You're right, there is a big difference between mild and clinical versions of depression. Though I would argue that both cases definitely need to be examined and a solution found; even mild depression can be pretty miserable, and life is way to short to waste it so.
My dad, my big brother, and myself all have or have had depression. My little brother is severely autistic, so I've had a lot of exposure to all kinds of attitudes, I guess.
Though of course, I don't think anyone plays the blame game for autism or mental retardation... except maybe to suggest that the mother must have done something wrong in her pregnancy. Which I don't think is true, except in something known like Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 8:41 pm
|
|
|
|
Haha, when I first read the topic, I thought it was about mental illness linked to atheism.
If there was a study about that, even if it was complete bullshit, it would be an interesting read IMO.
And I could even see it in some situations. Like depression I bet affects more atheists than theists because, you know, living a life without a higher purpose and afterlife can do that to a person.
But what do I think about mental illness?
I think it should be taken seriously. Even with more common problems like depression.
I saw it a lot back in high school.
"Christ, has she threatenned suicide again? Everyone knows she's just doing it for attention. What a drama whore."
"Dude, snap out of it. You don't need to talk to someone, quit feeling sorry for yourself."
And other stuff you mentioned, like schizophrenia, can't always be helped even with medication and therapy.
But then I also think that stuff like depression and bipolar disorder and learning disablities like ADD are way over-diagnosed in America.
Not to say that they're not all real problems and people really struggle with them.
But in a lot of cases it's also an easy way out of responsibility for one's own actions.
But what can ya do? XD
But I have no idea if that represents the same opinion as other atheists though.
I just happen to find it interesting. XD
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 1:26 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 5:08 am
|
|
|
|
Meirelle I have clinical depression, and there is a bias against it. People seem to think it's not "real" because it's not physical. Even my own family have trouble understanding sometimes. Anyhow, I think atheists are generally un-happier than theists, anyhow. No, God ISN'T going to make everything okay. Then again, a lot of hardcore Christians seem to be ex-addicts. I guess they've gone straight from one addiction right into another. You didn't recover from s**t. You just went from shootin' heroin to drinkin' the Jesus juice. When did I get off topic?
This brings up a good point, because I have clinical depression as well (though it's mostly under control these days), and I honestly suffered from it for years without even realizing or admitting it to myself, because I was using God as a crutch. And I just couldn't admit that I might be even a little bit unhappy because, after all He'd done for me, why should I be? God wants me to be happy, I should be happy, and if I'm not, I'm failing Him. That's what I thought at the time.
I think if I hadn't had that veil over my life, as it were, my depression would have been caught much earlier in my life(I'm talking like 6th grade instead of college), and it would have been taken care of much sooner.
Ah, the things I could have accomplished if I hadn't been so crippled through my college career... *sigh* Ah well, if things had happened that way, I might not be with my husband now, so it's all good. heart |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 2:44 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 7:37 pm
|
|
|
|
Pirate Captain Sushi Sushi has a disease called Asperger Syndrome, it's supposedly a very mild form of autism.
There are no physical side-effects: It basically means I'm a droneish, timely, obsessive, paranoid human being who takes everything he hears or reads as literal in context. I can't pick up on social cues and I can't read between the lines, I can only understand what has been put forth in front of me in a proper and detailed manner... I've never been able to keep up a decent relationship due to this problem. "You just don't get it" is the usual response I get...and it's true, I don't. I can't be expected to know an individuals wants or needs if they don't tell me.
I was diagnosed with this at a VERY young age, and as such I've studied social cues and human behavior, even did personal social experiments in public with unknowing individuals to see how people without this disease think.
Now here's something I DIDN'T know... I've discovered most people with Asperger Syndrome are Atheists. I guess it's just for that "studying the world around us" bit.
wink
Really? I didn't know that, either! I guess it kind of makes sense, though, I think a lot of religion is sort of "emotionally" based, and since Aspberger's (from what I understand) have a hard time with those reactions...
The doc at the psych ward (a*****e. Not because of this, but because he didn't listen to me, he just assumed he knew me because I was there after a suicide attempt and I was 18 ) thought that I might have Aspberger's... because I had a hard time in social situations. But I think I am so far in the opposite direction from Aspberger's... I feel what other people feel way too much. It's practically like I'm an Empath.
I just don't know what to do with it sometimes. I've kind of tried to shut it down over the years, I guess. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 5:06 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 11:52 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 12:00 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 3:59 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 8:04 am
|
|
|
|
After reading the OP I knew the thread was going to be dominated by people going out of their way to show how accepting they are and just how understanding they are to people with every problem.
I don't get it. I really, really don't. People lie, people pretend to be depressed, people read about a new disease or disorder and then act it out just to get attention, or just to get away with s**t.
That there are people with problems doesn't matter at all, because there are so many who are faking it. But then let us look at the people who do have issues in one area or another. For many it seems to just be an excuse to be a d**k.
Someone goes around flinging sexist, homophobic and racist comments after people have repeatedly said "don't say any of that s**t around us" and people want to excuse it as autism? No, that is being a d**k. You may not understand why it is offensive, but people have repeatedly said it is and to continue to act that way is to consciously antagonise others.
With publicised depression I often encounter people who use it to be the center of attention--and don't lie, you do too. If you were depressed you sure as hell wouldn't be telling anyone about it because that would imply that you thought people actually care, that you matter, that you aren't completely worthless and deserve to be erased from existence. By telling people about it you betray that you aren't depressed and are only doing it for attention, and that you are a manipulative arsehole.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
