Most people understand that depression is a serious mental health problem that requires support and some form of treatment. However, there’s a lot of misunderstanding surrounding depression, so we thought we’d share a quick list of some of the common myths people associate with it.
So what is depression?
Depression is a mental health problem that affects over 350,000,000 people around the world. It usually occurs in two forms, known as depressive disorder and bipolar disorder.
It’s when a person feels a sadness which is so severe it interferes with everyday life, and causes symptoms such as loss of appetite, sleeping issues, loss of concentration and/or low energy levels.
- It’s normal
- You just need to talk it out
- Depression is just a result of having a tough time
- If someone wants help with depression, they’ll seek it out
- Depression needs to be treated with anti-depressants
- You can just snap out of it
- Having depression means you’re weak
It isn’t uncommon for people to simplify depression in effort to describe or understand it, but that creates stigma that complicates the problem. If you or someone you know suffers from depression, consider reading more about it and exploring depression treatment.
The best thing you can do for a loved one experiencing depression is listen.