Comments on: TED-ED Clubs asks: How do you talk about depression?

By: Giovanni Benavides

Giovanni Benavides — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 04:06:17 +0000

At times what gets lost in translation is the appropriate or inappropriate manner in which a doctor posses the question. My primary care physician knows that I’m a mental health counsel and before he did a depression screening he acknowledged my expertise. I’m an expert but his job was to screen me for depression even though I Was not depressed it was part of the physical exam he gave me. Depression comes in many forms and can affect us at different stages of our lives. If we are lucky enough to live a long life we will experience many moments of joy and many moments of sadness due to the loss of loved ones due to illnesses or heart breaks. Depression is part of our lives, our friends and relatives can be affected by it at different stages of our lives and affect out interactions with them. We might try hard to help them but at the end of the day it’s their decision to seek help or not.

By: Angela Franer

Angela Franer — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 13:45:57 +0000

I was told that I was probably clinically depressed from the age of 8, actual words out of the Doctors mouth as I sat looking across a desk at her. I was 21 at the time. I’m 42 now. You can add to that diagnosis PTSD, OCD, & a few other “D’s” that have been fighting to be #1 on my list. It amazes me how disorders can become & overtake a person, they are very selfish.
That Doctor should have told me I have depression instead of I am depressed.
I AM A PERSON! I have disorders, but they don’t make me. So I cry when I need to, I sing when I need to, I laugh as often as possible, and I don’t take pills. I eat healthy and love. This last part has been the cure.
Like most people my disorders come from times in life when nothing was in order. Or important roles were out of order. For example my father treated me like his wife. So to put myself back in order I started doing acts of love. This works!!! Helping put in order that which is out, (look around, were drowning in disorder) will cure disorders. Depression has been the hardest to overcome. I will never not be depressed. However I’ve also learned that depression is a sign of health. How can you not be somewhat depressed if you’re honest and aware of your surroundings. We are all surrounded with disorder. It’s sad! So embrace depression and learn from it. Love those around you, listen to their sadness and share something with them. And to all those out there who are trying to help us depressed ones, just listen. It is human nature to send signals of what we need out to others. And if abandonment issues are involved it will take an extra long time. One more thing, it’s okay to be sad about bad things that happen to people, I’d argue it’s healthy and if you’re not feeling sad about it, well what’s wrong with you? I sometimes think that if more people were depressed the world might be a better place.

By: Ann McFall

Ann McFall — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 21:17:44 +0000

Hi! I talk about depression in little sound bytes here and there. When someone else shares (maybe on social media) a struggle that could be a symptom of depression, I might comment that I feel the same when my depression kicks in. I have shared Andrew Solomon’s TED talk on my timeline and asked my family to watch it. Hearing important insights into depression from someone who is easy to respect like Soloman was very helpful to my husband. One of my daughters was not interested in watching it because, “That sounds depressing.” ; )

By: David Harold Chester

David Harold Chester — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 13:44:07 +0000

A depressed person can gain some relief from it by becoming more active. This is usually possible and there is no need to go and hunt for the up-side to depression if you can manage to keep going. It is particularly useful when your activity is helpful to somebody else. Knowing of this and being aware of oneself are guides to avoiding depression too.

By: caterina

caterina — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 19:24:49 +0000

I always wonder why it is so rare to find something about depression from the point of view of the one who’s in a relationship with a depressed person. There’s so little that can be of help for the ones who wants to help both the partner and themselves, tu better understand, and be of support for his or hers partner who’s suffering from depression. I hope there will be more in the future since I think a supportive partner can help so much