It's safe to say I'm angry

You write this as if you feel that being depressed is just a cry for help. In some cases I guess that's true. Your opinion counts of course, and I can see that you are a good writer. What set you off to write this? And, let's make this clear, I don't mean to argue with you, I'm just curious why you took so much time to argue against people spreading negativity, when you yourself are being so negative. I could write an article just as long as yours, about how I'm mad at people who get mad, but that would defeat itself and weaken my credibility.
Why even write this? Unless your just exercising your right to free speech. Like I said, I don't mean to argue, and I'm not writing you in anger, so please don't mistake my tone for anger. I'm just curious.

I like this reply a lot. You expressed your view very thoroughly and thoughtfully. I agree with you in the fact that people let the label of "depression" define them, and in effect feel less important and "ill." I think realizing you have "the power to do something about it" is key to overcoming depression, and you're right, a lot of people don't feel like they have that power or even realize that the power exists. I've seen my friends go through depression and I've been through heavy depression myself. The point in which someone comes out of depression seems somewhat random to me. They're depressed one day and a few weeks later their fine. This leads me to believe that some people just get overwhelmed and then recover, while others have a chemical imbalance. I know a chemical imbalance falls under the category of mental "illness," but I believe that some people actually suffer from uncontrollable depression, no matter how great things are going for them. I'm not a big fan of medication, but if it helps someone who is suffering, then it might help them get back on their feet. Overall though, I believe, like you're saying, that depression can be overcome, if the person has a strong sense of self, and a will to overcome, no matter how bad they are feeling.
Thanks for being honest, I respect that.

Hope nobody minds me joining in here? Both of you are right IMO, (though I have to say I lean a little heavier with LaGS), but there is a third option that was relayed to me quite eloquently this afternoon when I was feeling just like LaGS. Sometimes life just sucks and depression is normal. You don't always have to be sunshine and happiness and it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you. Life isn't some perfect ride where nothing ever gets broken, nothing falls apart, and there's never any rain. The problem is when people become parasitic with it. When they take and take and take and give nothing back. When you try to distance yourself from the drama and the madness they spew hate and viciousness that cuts deep. How dare you walk away? I NEED you. I need me too. You know what I mean? I'm not saying it anything like he did, he's much better at this on the fly stuff than me, but I hope you can get the idea of what I'm saying.

The worst part is that for those of us who have pulled ourselves up by our bootstraps, you then have the possibility of them sucking you back down. I walk away before that happens, and then I feel guilty and wonder what kind of person I am. But it comes back to "I need me too". I guess that's the easiest, the self-preservation thing you were talking about LaGS.

It does and I agree. I guess this is my big issue with it. I went through some pretty heavy depression a couple of times in my life so far. Each of those times I just wanted to be left alone. I wanted to be solitary, to reflect, to gain distance. To wallow in it. I pulled myself out when I got sick of myself (which took awhile a couple of times). I don't understand the "Hey! look at me, do this for me, help me, see me, feel sorry for me, be consumed by me" mentality. I wasn't like that and I don't think I ever could be. I do, occassionally, get ticked off and need to vent to someone who will tell me to shut up and get over it. And I do that. Sometimes I need the verbal slap. I can't understand wanting people's pity. Trying to shame people into talking to you. If you don't want to talk me, all you have to do is say so and I'm gone. Pity? Oh my god, no. Anything but that. Don't pity me. I couldn't take it. I just don't understand that mentality. And I really have tried. I just don't.

I agree with you on that Trish. When I'm depressed I would much rather be left alone. If someone tries to console me, it only comes across as white noise. I don't understand the "feel sorry for me" mentality either. My friend was like that for a while. I think once he stopped holding such high standards for how life should be, he was able to be content with how life is. I don't know how he made that switch, it just happened. He's a much more compassionate, and empathetic person now. The human mind trips me the **** out.

LOL, yeah that about sums it up. I just get annoyed with the attention-seeking behavior. I'm a compassionate person, and I'm the first person to offer a shoulder to lean on (and when I offer it I mean it. I don't judge people and I genuinely want to help if I can). What gets me is when I do that and the person attaches to me like a barnacle. I'm not a floatation device for anyone's life, I have my own. Then when I try to distance myself to prevent being pulled under I get kicked in the teeth. You would think I'd have learned to adopt LaGS strategy and just stop trying to help by now, lol.

I understand how you feel, LaGs. My husband has struggled with depression for a year or two now. There are times when I just get so tired of dealing with the side effects--the oversleeping, the insomnia, etc. There are times when I'm so angry at how his issues with depression have become a burden on me that I want to lash out and say, "Get over it! We have a child to raise together!" My husband is seeing a psychiatrist as his depression stems from the loss of his childhood friend, which ironically happened on our wedding day, his issues with his dad, and losing a job.

The thing is that my husband hasn't necessarily been trying to wallow in his pain. Instead, his problem is that he internalizes it all and sets it aside and doesn't fully address it until it becomes a monster. He doesn't just walk around crying or whining about it; he just doesn't sleep at night because he's thinking or sleeps all day because he can't escape it.

Thankfully, he's getting better now--and it didn't really happen until he saw the psychiatrist and started on some medication. He's not walking around like a zombie, thank God, and at least I feel as though with the medication I am getting my husband back.

Are some people just negative and attention-seekers? Well, yeah, and nothing bugs me more than the artist-dress-in-black and b**ch about how life has done you wrong. In that sense I feel your pain as having to deal with people like that. However, depression is sometimes a real mental illness that needs to be confronted and treated. Just an opinion. ;-)

I so appreciate this post because it's true. And here's what pisses me off:

The term "depressed" has now become a substitute for the word "sad." Teenagers, especially, use it all the time. Oh, I've just been depressed lately. Oh, I was depressed back then. Let's cut the crap. Having your boyfriend of two weeks dump you does not mean you are clinically depressed! And people throw around the term like it means nothing. And because people do that, the people are actually depressed aren't taken as seriously half the time, especially when they're younger. It's because people don't understand the difference between a chemical imbalance and just being sad.

Even self-destructive behavior has become a "thing" now. Or even lying about it for Christ's sake! Oh, I cut myself. Really? That's funny, because you don't have any scars. I mean, these issues are so serious when they're real, and people have turned them into an act to gain self-pity, to fulfill some deep desire for attention. It's sick. And how are the people who are suffering supposed to be taken seriously? Who can they turn to when so many people are just talking bull****?

So I see where this post is coming from. People have turned it into a game, really, and so it's so easy to think like this. But like everyone has said, some people are really suffering. It's just hard to sift through all the whining attention-seekers.

I agree with you, Bay. As a teacher, I deal with situations on a case-by-case basis, and I'd rather err on the side of treating a "whiny" case seriously than err on the "not being vigilant enough." I had a student recently who was cutting--the thing with cutters is that they usually try and hide it and don't tell you about it, and they cover their arms so that you can't see. However, most kids who actually cut themselves end up making a habit out of it and one isolated incident of "my boyfriend dumped me" turned into a series of incidents when something makes them sad and they continue cutting. So sad to see in a teen, who has her whole life ahead of her