Is depression a taboo topic?

[CallMeKate]

Depression is sometimes related to unpleasant situations in affected person's lives, either from their own choices and actions, or due to others, or due to unlucky fate of living in a competitive world that is often unfair, that over time by repetitive self awareness, increasingly trains via neural plasticity their body for the condition to become worse so.

That would be situational depression. The differences are what are sometimes misunderstood.

"Situational depression is a response to a specific stressful event, while clinical depression (major depressive disorder) is a more severe and persistent mental health condition with or without an identifiable trigger.
Key differences include the cause (stressor vs. no specific trigger), duration (shorter vs. at least two weeks), and severity (less severe vs. more severe, impacting daily function)"

 

[officerripley]

I think depression is more common amongst the elderly (in this and other "1st world" countries anyway) than some people realize.

In addition to the grief that, if one lives long enough, is experienced from the death of loved ones, friends, pets, some people, especially those who were very physically attractive or very physically strong or athletic and who if they live long enough, experience a fading of their looks or their strength and have a hard time with it. (That is about the only thing I don't hate about getting older: the loss of my good looks since I never considered myself good-looking anyway. Now since reading is about the only thing that's ever brought me joy and I could rely on, I dread losing my sight.)

And I am not at all criticizing those who mourn the loss of attractiveness or strength at all. If I had been attractive or strong, I'm sure I'd be the same. (Goodness knows, I've been criticized my whole life for "always having my head in a book or tv show or movie--and now internet articles.) I just think that old enough age is hard on almost everybody.

 

[KSav]

The worst thing to tell someone with Anxiety is to Calm Down

I agree 100%, @Pepper.

I'd like to add that the worst thing to tell someone struggling with depression is to "Snap out of it," "Things could be worse," "Be grateful for what you have," or any other completely useless phrase.

 

[MACKTEXAS]

I don't have an overall feeling of sadness or lack of desire to do things, but many times, I have unidentified feelings of agitation, discontent, and frustration that come and go. When I talked to my doctor in the past years about this, he prescribed antidepressants, but they were not helpful at all.

AI says, "Anxiety is distinguished from depression primarily by its focus on future worry, while depression centers on a past or present sense of loss and hopelessness." By those terms, I'm "self-diagnosed" as having anxiety, even though no medical professional has confirmed it. Nevertheless, my doctor took my word for it and prescribed anti-anxiety meds which have helped. I don't take them every day, just when I feel overwhelmed or when I'm facing a day which I know is likely to be upsetting.

 

[JustDave]

AI says, "Anxiety is distinguished from depression primarily by its focus on future worry, while depression centers on a past or present sense of loss and hopelessness."

The definition of anxiety that I learned in college is "fear but without a known cause." That fits with your AI definition. But I do like my definition, because I experienced it back in college, and "Fear without a know cause" nailed the feeling right on the head. An additional description of anxiety was that it is often experienced as a feeling of impending doom. I did that too.

 

[officerripley]

I guess I don't suffer from anxiety then since I know the cause of what I fear and it's stuff that I can't do a darn thing about.

 

[MACKTEXAS]

Fear without a know cause" nailed the feeling right on the head. An additional description of anxiety was that it is often experienced as a feeling of impending doom.

About the part in bold: I have lost count of the times I've left home, driving somewhere for a relaxing afternoon; no particular plans, all chores were done, nice weather, plenty of time to just enjoy the day. Halfway there, something went wrong with my whole outlook, I got very restless, turned around and came back home. Once home, I might still be restless, but it was manageable. That is not reasonable behavior. It's been a long time since I've done that, so maybe there is some progress.

 

[CallMeKate]

I guess I don't suffer from anxiety then since I know the cause of what I fear and it's stuff that I can't do a darn thing about.

That is absolutely anxiety as well. It's not only about the unknown. Any number of things that go on in life cause extreme anxiety and yep, we know exactly what caused it and what the fear is. It doesn't even have to appear rational to others... it's real and often cannot be controlled.

 

[debodun]

After my mom passed in 2006, I made the mistake of telling my doctor I was having nightmares. She promptly put me on an SSRI mediation. All that did was make me gain 20 pounds. When I complained about that, the doctor said, "The only thing that makes you gain weight is why to put in here.", as she pointed to her mouth. I said I didn't want to take the medicine an longer. She said I had to gradually cut down - take one every two days, then skip a day for a week. The next week, take one every other day for a week, Then you can stop. I still got what I called "brain zaps". Didn't lose much weight, either.

 

[JustDave]

I guess I don't suffer from anxiety then since I know the cause of what I fear and it's stuff that I can't do a darn thing about.

The definition I gave was for clinical anxiety from a psychology text. Anxiety is also used informally for apprehension and nervousness. But my clinical definition was from 55 years ago. It may be defined differently today. But if you say, " I have anxiety over an upcoming court appearance," people will know what you mean, and that's all you need them to know.