Is depression a disease? Is it more prevalent today?

[Lorizael]

Originally posted by NeOmega
See, actually, I just don't care. You think you've won, but I beat depression.

Back to wild and inaccurate, then?

You on the other hand, will curl up into a little ball this week and cry because no-one understands your pain,

Actually, I've been quite happy lately. I'm in the middle of a large project that engages my intellect and my creativity, and it's satisfying me greatly.

maybe stalk a girl that's out of your league,

Well, actually, I will lament the fact that my girlfriend is going back to college soon, and I won't be able to see her for a few weeks because of that.

and wish you were someone you aren't,

Actually, in all the years of my depression, I have never wished this. See, along with being depressed and possibly partially schizophrenic, I'm also megalomaniacal. I can never be dissuaded of the belief that I am the greatest human being alive, that I am a prophet walking the Earth, and that my philosophical revolution will change the universe.

then pop your happy pills.

Stopped taking those two years ago.

[NeOmega]

Originally posted by loinburger
One time I got a cold, but I beat that cold on my own 'cuz that's how I roll. So you go ahead and curl up into a little ball and take your nasal decongestants like a little pansy and whine about how you have a "disease," but real men aren't scared of a little mucus.

I tried to be nice about it, but people need their dignity... and with depression as a disease, instead of whining crying wimps, they are sick, and need medicine.

They are sick, but medicine is usually not going to help.

seems like a pretty wimpy comeback after provoking people and denying their dignity for three threads now. If you don't care, why be insulting and condescending?

There is nothing nice about the psychopharmaceutical industry. They make ads that make people who can't piss in a public bathroom stall feel like they need an overpriced pill. It's out of hand.

At first I was insulting said industry, but as the personal attacks mounted against me, I responded in kind.

Your drugs make you a little happier, (but not really) and I realize that. Depressed people realize it, but yet....

[NeOmega]

Originally posted by Lorizael
Actually, I've been quite happy lately. I'm in the middle of a large project that engages my intellect and my creativity, and it's satisfying me greatly.

Whaaat!!!!????

But you need medicine!

Medicine is the cure! Not creativity, or family!

[NeOmega]

Originally posted by loinburger

Yes, because medicine isn't an exact science.

that's all I needed to hear from you. Now you can admit your analogy to the .9999~ vs 1 argument was fallacious.

[loinburger]

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[NeOmega]

Originally posted by loinburger

Yeah, I hate those jerks whose brains produce too much seratonin.

When did I say anything about hate?

Who said I hate wimps? I don't hate wimps, but they need to realize crying about how much you hate yourself is really, really wimpy. It's not a disease, it's being a baby.

[loinburger]

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[loinburger]

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[Lorizael]

Don't stop at dismissing all medical experts. You should really go ahead and dismiss all experts completely.

See, there was this one time in tenth grade when my math teacher accidentally wrote X instead of Y on the board, and it totally screwed up all of our formulas.

Math is not an exact science. I was astonished that such a mistake could even be made!

[loinburger]

Originally posted by Lorizael
Math is not an exact science. I was astonished that such a mistake could even be made!

I know! I was astonished to discover that sometimes there are even errors in mathematical proofs! One time a so-called "expert" was explaining the "proof" for the halting problem to me, and I asked him if he could prove that there weren't any errors in his proof, and he said he couldn't! Take that, Science!

[Colonâ„¢]

I was watching to movie the other day, Tom Cruise was in it and Hoffman too I think. He was playing this character, damn that was a loser, he really needed to get a spine!

[NeOmega]

Originally posted by loinburger

If you dismiss all medical experts, then I will admit that the analogy with the .9999~ vs. 1 argument is fallacious. If you selectively dismiss medical experts out of an ignorance, then the analogy stands. Which one will it be?

all? You sure about that?

I was watching to movie the other day, Tom Cruise was in it and Hoffman too I think. He was playing this character, damn that was a loser, he really needed to get a spine!

Was he depressed? Or an idiot savant?

[Colonâ„¢]

*kuch*

[NeOmega]

Originally posted by loinburger

I agree. In fact, this one time while I was playing soccer this guy on the other team tripped and broke his leg, and he was all like "ooooh my leg hurts," and I was all like "stop being such a wimp, crybaby." I mean, christ, a broken leg isn't even a disease!

People who are in pain just need to shut their pieholes and get over themselves.

I didn't say that... I said they need to realize it is something ONLY THEY CAN FIX!!!! DEPRESSION IS PERSONAL!

Once again, you are using a flase analogy. A broken leg is not a psychological malady. However, if possible, pain medication, IMHO, should be avoided, as it helps your body know what actions, whatever so slight, cause pain.

The body and mind have evolved for thousands of years! What did cavemen with depression do? Stop gathering berries and consult a tharapist?

I am sorry you want to peg me as some depressive hater. I am not, but I know, from experience, that depression is better characterized as an addiction.

And by now, I am sure you have googled, and found there are many practicing doctors and therapists who do not believe depression is a disease.

[Lorizael]

Originally posted by NeOmega
Whaaat!!!!????

But you need medicine!

Medicine is the cure! Not creativity, or family!

W&I.

Who said anything about family? The only support my family ever gave me was to recommend that I go see a medical professional to help me with my depression.

Also, medicine has helped me. The year after I barely eeked through high school - the year that I forced myself to go to community college rather than a four year university - I began to take anti-depressants.

And they were vital. At that point in my life, I was of the opinion that I had nothing to live for. No prospects for the future, no financial freedom, no guiding principle in life; the gifts that I had relied on so far in life - my intelligence, my creativity - had gotten me nowhere.

Anti-depressants kept me alive. Kept me from committing suicide. In that time, when I was so depressed that I actually withdrew from the world and stopped talking to everyone that mattered to me, when only the drugs in my body gave me reason to live, I developed a new perspective on life.

I have kept that perspective to this day, and it has sustained me and given me direction and purpose. It couldn't have happened any other way - for me.