People developing depression in their lifetime, it's important we bust these myths!
While the stigma around mental health is lifting, there's still a fair bit of confusion around what depression actually is.
Myth 1: Depression is just a case of "having the blues"!
Everyone feels sad at different times about different things.
But when we talk about depression, we're talking about something that is much more serious than just being sad.
People often feel sad because of an upsetting experience or memory, but it comes and goes.
Depression, on the other hand, is a chronic illness associated with physical differences in the brain, a person's brain chemistry, and hormonal imbalances.
When you have depression, you don't necessarily even feel sad you may feel irritable, tense, empty, or simply numb.
Depression can also cause many other symptoms, such as sleep issues, poor concentration, lethargy, and loss of appetite.
Myth 2: Surely you can just "snap out of it"…
While it can be difficult to see someone wrestle with depression, keep in mind they are not feeling this way by choice and they can't solve it simply by changing their attitude.
Just like any illness, depression requires suitable treatment, whether it's psychotherapy, or alternative therapies.
Myth 3: Depression is only caused by trauma!
Sometimes depression is triggered by a major event, such as a death, job loss, or break up.
But it's quite often not caused by any external event at all.
Many people who have depression can't even pinpoint when their depression first began.
Unfortunately it's something that can happen to anyone, at any time, with no rhyme or reason but it's also something that can be successfully treated.
Myth 4: Antidepressants are the only answer!
