7 Dangerous Myths People With Depression Must Never Believe!

A very dark yet real quote on depression goes like this, "Depression is living in a body that fights to survive with a mind that is trying to die".

By this, we can understand that depression is such a dangerous mental disorder which makes a person feel like their life has no meaning and can even make them feel like ending their own lives, as the mental pain is too much to handle!

While some cases of milder forms of depression do not show symptoms which are very extreme, major depression can have severe symptoms and side effects which not only affect the person suffering from it, but also the people around them.

Depression can be described as a mental health disorder in which the person suffers from persistent sad mood and loses interest in regular life activities.

Some of the main symptoms of depression include, anxiety, apathy, discontent, restlessness, sadness, mood swings, anger, appetite fluctuations, weight fluctuations, etc.

It is very important to be able to recognise these symptoms of depression in yourself or the people around you, as it is a serious mental disorder which requires medical attention.

So, here are a few myths that people with depression must never believe, if they want to get better.

• I'm Not Strong If I Can't Fight It
• I Will Always Be Sad
• I don't Want To Be A Burden
• Medication Will Ruin My Health
• Going To Psychotherapy Will Harm My Reputation
• Nothing Can Make Me Feel Better
• Antidepressants Don't Work For Me

1. "I'm Not Strong If I Can't Fight It"

Many a times, it is easy for the others to tell people with depression that they should be strong mentally and fight depressive thoughts. So, this can make the people with depression feel like they are mentally weak, if they are not able to get better. However, depression is also a disease just like diabetes or cancer, and one simply may not be able to "fight it off" on their own, without medical help.

2. "I Will Always Be Sad"

It is very easy and also natural for people suffering from depression to feel that their state of mind will remain sad, hopeless and depressed forever, because the chemical changes happening in the brain make them feel that way.

However, they must understand that depression is a mental disease which can be treated with the help of psychotherapy, lifestyle changes and medication. So, the chances of them getting better is very high when the right kind of help is sought!

3. "I don't Want To Be A Burden"

Normally, people with depression feel like they need constant support and company, as they persistently feel anxious for no reason and feel extremely lonely.

However, they may also feel like constantly taking the support of others could make then be burdens in the eyes of the other people and they may feel guilty about this fact, which could further depress them. However, they must not feel this way and must seek help as much as they require!

4. "Medication Will Ruin My Health"

This is a very popular myth that many people suffering from depression believe in. They feel that the medications given to treat depression have a lot of side effects and can ruin their health permanently.

So, they never take it, further worsening their condition. However, the fact is that the dosage of medication can always be altered by your doctor to keep the side effects at bay and not all depression medication have bad side effects!

5. "Going To Psychotherapy Will Harm My Reputation"

Even in this modern era, there are many people who still believe that depression and seeking psychiatric help is a taboo which could mar a person's reputation. So, they may not seek help at all and their condition just keeps getting worse, until something extreme happens.

So, it is important to understand the fact that depression is also a disease like any other and there is nothing to be ashamed about it or about seeking treatment.

6. "Nothing Can Make Me Feel Better"

It is normal for people with depression to feel like no matter what they do, their sadness will not go away. So, they stop doing activities which used to make them happy, altogether. However, it is important to realise that there are many things that can uplift a depressed person's mood naturally.

It could be going out to their favourite coffee shop with friends, reading a good book, going out for a run and so on. They just have to keep trying and find something that improves their mood.

7. "Antidepressants Don't Work For Me"

Many patients with depression feel like antidepressant medications do not work for them, as they have tried them before and they have failed to work. The fact is, most antidepressants take at least 4-6 weeks to start showing results and in many cases, the doctors will need to keep changing medications to see what works best for that particular individual.