When Family Members and Friends Don ’ t Understand Depression

We’ve come a little way in reducing the stigma that’s associated with mental illness, but not nearly far enough. Consider these results pulled from a public attitude survey in Tarrant County, Texas, conducted by the county’s Mental Health Connection and the University of North Texas in Denton to determine the community’s view of mental illness: More than 50 percent believe major depression might be caused by the way someone was raised, while more than one in five believe it is “God’s will.” More than 50 percent believe major depression might result from people “expecting too much from life,” and more than 40 percent believe it is the result of a lack of willpower. More than 60 percent said an effective treatment for major depression is to “pull yourself together.” Unfortunately, these beliefs are often held by those closest to us, by the very people from whom we so desperately want support. Resenting them for their lack of understanding isn’t going to make things better, though. It almost always makes things worse. Whenever I hit a severe depressive episode, I am reminded once more that I can’t make people understand depression any more than I can make a person who hasn’t gone through labor understand the intense experience that is unique to that situation. Some people are able to respond with compassion to something that they don’t understand. But that is very rare. Don’t Mistake Their Lack of Understanding for a Lack of Love ...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Bipolar Depression Family Personal Policy and Advocacy Bipolar Disorder Compassion Dysthymia ignorance Major Depressive Disorder Major Depressive Episode Mood Disorder Stigma Understanding Source Type: blogs