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Do you see mental illness as weakness?
Diet & Health / 8:10 PM - Thursday March 18, 2010

Do you see mental illness as weakness?

I've been wondering if people still feel a stigma towards people with mental illness like depression. Also, do you see seeking therapy and medication as a weakness as well? Or would you congratulate someone seeking help?

- Asked by engelavlys, A Thinker, Female, 18-21, Student

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Not necessarily, but what I do see are many people being over medicated by all the crap that pharmaceutical companies are manufacturing for every little possible symptom. People, doctors are medicating a problem instead of dealing with it. A little bandaid over a big problem.

- Response by lavender, A Hippie Chick, Female, 46-55, San Francisco

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Is diabetes a "weakness"? Cancer?

"Mental illness" is a problem with brain chemistry. Like kidney failure, or a birth defect.

I wouldn't feel the need to "congratulate" a cancer patient for chemotherapy, or a kidney patient for dialysis.

- Response by buffalothighs88, A Hippie Chick, Female, 46-55, Hospitality

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Not really a weakness, more like a hindrance or an obstacle to overcome.

- Response by donuthate, A Creative, Male, Who Cares?, Phoenix, Who Cares?

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I would change my diet, excerise and go to church, then if you need drugs go for it.

- Response by jimmymichael01, A Rebel, Male, 46-55, Executive

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I actually do have a mental illness. I have depression. To my knowledge it is strictly hereditary since everyone in my great grandmother's family had depression or an even worse mental illness. So no I do not see mental illness as a weakness as long as the person is trying to cope with it. How am I coping with it? I work on goals one by one. I'm working on self esteem issues, paranoia, and black and white thinking. Every time I think negatively, I try to "switch" into a positive mode. I take meds, but honestly meds can only do so much. That's why I exercise, eat healthy, study hard in college, socialize, and learn to have fun. Plus I go to church and am active in my faith. I am now a server in a church youth group. So as long as you work on it, you're not a weak person at all.

- Response by softwhispers, A Guy Critical, Male, 22-25

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NO I would never see a mental illness as a weaknesss... auctually I have seen 1st had different types of mental illnesses over the years, with in my family, and my s/o's family... also I was in a clinic for an eating disorder, a few years back. Getting help is not a weakness either. It takes a lot of strength to admit that you have a problem, but it takes alot more to agree to seek help. I would congradulate anyone that was seeking help for their problems. As my mother always says, It's not a shame to have a problem but it is a shame to keep it!...

- Response by A Trendsetter, Female, 18-21

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no

It's a disease just like any other that can be treated. People aren't shunned for seeking other medical treatment. Don't know why they should for seeking help for a mental illness.

- Response by scooper, A Sportif, Female, 46-55, Dallas, Who Cares?

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Depression is not a disease. It is not like any other illness, it is not like diabetes, cancer, kidney failure or a birth defect. And, whilst a predisposition may 'possibly' be genetic (but this is dubious) depression is not inherited.

It is myths and misconceptions like these, which surround depression, that get in the way of effective and appropriate treatments being developed.

Depression is the result of an unhealthy cycle forming in the complicated interplay of thoughts, emotions and behaviours that determine our consciousness (esp how we interpret and respond to the world); and is perpetrated by our inability to see or break this cycle - made worse by the symptoms of depression itself.

This is why recovery can only be achieved with the participation of the depressed person themselves, pills just won't do it (though they may help - each to their own). It's never quick and it's certainly not easy, but if you don't want to be depressed then surely it's worth a go?

- Response by helenjourneys, A Thinker, Female, 29-35, Birmingham

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