It's Depressing
(c) Misty DawnSOne of my best friends and I were talking about depression just last night. I kept confiding things to her, and then I would follow up with asking her to please not judge me. Well, she never did judge me, because she never would. She's the kind of friend I can say anything to and not worry about being judged. However, not everyone is like that. As if depression isn't hard enough to deal with on its own, the stigma of depression - the way people regard you if they find out you have depression, is just as hard to overcome. Let alone if people find out that you take anti-depressant medication.
You see, I used to take medication for chemical depression. When my neighbors, whom I thought were my friends, found out about this, I became the subject of jokes, gossip, and judgment. I had a dog at the time, and she suffered from separation anxiety. My ex once joked to the neighbors that he thought the dog needed Doggy-Prozac, because her mommy's 'problems' were rubbing off on her. Yeah, like it's a contagious disease or something. Of course, this comment caused everyone who was listening to break out into hysterical laughing, because it was 'just so dang funny'.
I was telling my friend last night about a conversation I had with my old doctor once. He had asked me if the medication seemed to be helping. I responded, "Yeah. I don't seem to get depressed for no reason anymore." My doctor didn't take this statement very well, and I was rather surprised. He countered by asking me if I would judge someone with Diabetes for taking Insulin. I said that of course I wouldn't. He replied with, "Diabetics' bodies need that Insulin, because their bodies don't produce it, right?" Well, of course. "Well then, why in the world do you think you get depressed for NO reason? There is a reason. Your body is not producing the proper chemicals. Therefore, medication is required to produce those necessary chemicals."
When he put it like that, it made perfect sense. However, I must admit that eventually I quit taking all medication. I felt like I was weak if I couldn't take care of 'my problems' on my own.
I just wish that people with depression didn't receive the judgments and treatment they do. Depression, anxiety, panic, and similar conditions are not things that people bring upon themselves. Do you honestly think that people want to feel the way these conditions cause them to feel?
I just don't understand the close-mindedness sometimes.
