Some Myths on Depression

"Depression only affects certain people"

Depression can strke any-one at any time.  Depression does not recognise; age, gender, culture, class, your socio-economic standing or your race.  Depression is a non-discriminatory equal opportunist. 

"Depression is a character weakness"

Depression is generally a symptom of living with un-relenting stress or ongoing issues, e.g. trauma, bereavement or social and financial difficulties that are negatively affecting our ability to live a full and balanced life.  If these issues or stressors are not addressed the ongoing distress may lead to depression. 

"There's no such thing as depression, it's all in the mind"

Severe depression can be debilitating with physical manifestations such as; headhache, back ache, joint and muscle pain.  It may also disrupt mental processes leading to forgetfullness and lack of concentration not to mention a host of other symptoms.   Depression is a biopsychosocial syndrome - this means that ir arises or develops in relation to who we are in our biological, psychological and social context. 

"If I start taking pills, I'll have to do it forever"

A reasonable concern for most people is how long one might have to take medication for, or what the long term effects of taking medication might be.  If you are aready taking medication and your mood and general disposition has improved, you may wonder - Do I really need to take this?   Anti-depressants do not have addictive qualities.  Some people may need to take anti-depressant treatments for extended periods, but this depends on a personal history and severity of the depression.  While there are medical professionals that believe that anti-depressants might be a long term solution for people with depression, generally, most people take medication for a specific time-frame and then end the treatment with their physicians guidance and monitoring.

"All I need is the medicne and I'll be fine"

Certainly - taking a prescribed anti-depressant will help you to recover or overcome depression.  However, because depression is thought to have not only biological roots, but social and psychological components - combining a form a therapy along with medication is thought to be the most effective treatment.  Counselling can help you to explore your emotional life, address your unique stressors  and learn new coping skills for the future.