Mental health used to be a taboo subject. Not many people were open to the idea that sickness can be more than physical. In old times, those with a psychological condition experienced suffering for being mistaken as demonically possessed. Mental health is now more embraced by society, but there still are individuals who doubt its existence. The following are 10 depression myths and facts everyone needs to know about.

History of Depression

In Ancient Greece, disease was thought to be caused by an imbalance in the four basic bodily fluids, or humors. The term depression was derived from the Latin verb deprimere, meaning “to press down”. From the 14th century, “to depress” meant to subdue or to bring down in spirits. It was used in 1665 (in English author Richard Baker’s Chronicle) to refer to someone having “a great depression of spirit”, and in 1753 (by English author Samuel Johnson, in a similar sense). The term also came into use in physiology and economics.

During the 18th century, the theory of melancholia was increasingly being challenged by mechanical and electrical explanations. References to dark and gloomy states gave way to ideas of slowed circulation and depleted energy. German physician Johann Christian Heinroth, however, argued melancholia was a disturbance of the soul due to moral conflict within the person. Eventually, various authors proposed up to 30 different sub-types of melancholia and alternative terms which were suggested and discarded. Melancholia and melancholy had been used interchangeably until the 19th century, but melancholia came to refer to a pathological condition and melancholy to a temperament.

The ’60s and ‘70s saw a push for greater reliance on statistical analysis, with the field of psychiatry aiming to solidify its status as an empirical medical profession. As a result, more sophisticated tools were developed for assessing depression, mainly the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HDRS) from 1960, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) from 1961. Both are considered standards and are still used today. Following these changes, the DSM-III (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders III) which was published in 1980, aimed to reassess how people talk about mental health, by moving away from pathologizing language and offering a more compassionate approach. This helped counter some of the stigmas that individuals battling depression had to face (and still often do).

Myth 1: Depression Isn’t Real

Fact: Depression Is Real

Have you ever heard someone tell you to just ignore your fever? Usually, people who know well and those who care for you don’t say that. A person who believes depression is simply made-up, or a mere fancy term to describe negative feelings, is most likely to tell you not to make a big deal out of it. Regardless of personal beliefs and opinions, no one can change the fact that depression is real. It’s already proven how depression affects certain parts of the brain and how it affects the immune system.

Myth 2: You Can Easily Beat Depression

Fact: Depression Requires Proper Attention

Just as you can’t quickly recover from any physical illness by willpower alone, psychological problems like depression need proper intervention. What’s more, not taking action right away can put a person at risk. Some are great at hiding their feelings and may even look happy that you wouldn’t think they’re having suicidal thoughts. Professional help is vital in overcoming depression.

Myth 3: Depression Is Just Sadness

Fact: Depression Is More Than Sadness

This is a very common myth. When you’re depressed, you’re not only sad. You may feel hopeless and empty for days, months, or years. Nothing seems to work for you. Even your favorite things can’t cheer you up. You may give in to alcohol abuse, drugs, and even self-harm. Persistent sadness is just one of depression’s various symptoms. Emotional numbness, irritability, lack of energy, and anger are all possible signs of depression which don’t normally happen out of mere sadness.

Myth 4: You’re Weak If You’re Depressed

Fact: Anyone Can Experience Depression

Depression is not, in any way, a form of weakness. Like other medical problems, psychological conditions don’t happen by choice. You have no control over them. Some might think you’re mentally weak (out of ignorance) but that’s not true at all. No one is completely safe from experiencing depression. “Strong” people and those who seem to have everything can still get depressed.

Myth 5: Women Are More Likely to Get Depressed

Fact: Depression Affects Both Men and Women

The female body may be a little more hormonal and complicated than the male, but that doesn’t mean it’s more vulnerable to depression. Social, psychological, and many other factors can make a person prone to depression. Gender is not totally relevant when it comes to depression.

Myth 6: Depression Requires Lifelong Medication

Fact: You Don’t Need to Take Medicine For The Rest Of Your Life

There are different treatment options for depression. Long-term medications don’t usually take a whole lifetime to finish, and psychotherapy (depending on a professional’s advice) may be with or without medication. Moreover, how long you need antidepressants depends on the treatment plan and the severity of your depression.

Myth 7: Trauma Causes Depression

Fact: Various Factors Cause Depression

Although painful life experiences can lead to depression, there are many other reasons why someone goes through it. Unexpected circumstances, frustrations, and failures can all lead to depression. It’s important to know that people with depression aren’t always victims of trauma. What may not affect one person can affect another.

Myth 8: Family History Makes Depression Inevitable

Fact: Genetic Predisposition Doesn’t Always Determine Depression

It’s true that physical and psychological conditions can be inherited. However, genetic predisposition is not always enough to determine if you’ll develop the condition as well. While awareness of family history is good, one shouldn’t dwell on it. Having a history of depression doesn’t make recovery more difficult as long as proper treatment is received.

Myth 9: Depression Occurs At A Certain Age

Fact: Depression Can Develop At Any Age

Teenagers and old people aren’t the only ones who are likely to experience depression. Even children and accomplished adults can experience depression. Research shows how a lot of people develop depression at an early age, while many successful individuals are secretly depressed.

Myth 10: You Can’t Function When You’re Depressed

Fact: Depression Isn’t Always Obvious

This is one of the most common myths about depression. Some think that being capable of doing day-to-day activities means you aren’t depressed at all. Despite this misconception, we should understand that depression isn’t always easily seen. People with depression can be on the verge of giving up and still appear as ordinary as usual.

Myth 11: Antidepressants Change Your Personality

Fact: Antidepressants Have No Impact On Personality

Targeting specific brain chemicals, medication like antidepressants do not alter anything that’s linked to personality. Though everyone may have different reactions to antidepressants, such medication can’t do any real or permanent change to one’s personality. Taking antidepressants is very important for specific cases.

Myth 12: Everyone Experiences Depression In The Same Way

Fact: People Can Have Different Symptoms

Even with its common signs and symptoms, depression can come out in various forms. For example, a battered wife might resort to substance abuse while an abused young man might find solace in having cheap sex.

Myth 13: Talking It Out Is Enough

Fact: Normal Advice Can’t Cure Depression

Sharing your feelings to people you trust is good for you, but doing so isn’t enough to solve problems related to your depression. A simple talk may only lift your mood for a while. Family and friends can only love and support you, but they aren’t able to stop your depression.

Myth 14: Depression Will Go Away On Its Own

Fact: Therapy Is Necessary For Depression

Unlike warts, depression won’t disappear if you ignore it–it may even get worse. Other people believe that sweeping a mental health issue under the rug and simply being positive are all you need. Ignorance may work, but only for a short time. Depression is serious. Psychotherapy is a trustworthy way of beating it.

Myth 15: You Can’t Overcome Depression

Fact: Depression Is Not An Invincible Enemy

Yes, living with depression is not easy, but having a mental health condition is not always hopeless. A lot of people have already won their own battles with depression. Suicide is not the answer. No matter how long and painful it may be, one must keep in mind that there’s hope.

Types Of Depression

There are many different forms of depression, all caused by different factors. Here are some common ones:

Major Depression

You’ve probably heard the term major depressive disorder. This kind of depression happens when you feel depressed most of the time (for most days of the week).

Signs

Loss of interest or pleasure in activities
Weight loss or gain
Trouble falling asleep or feeling drowsy during the day
Restlessness and agitation
Feeling tired and lacking energy
Feeling guilty or worthless
Having trouble concentrating or making decisions
Suicidal thoughts

A doctor might diagnose you with major depression if you have five or more of these symptoms on most days for 2 weeks or longer. At least one of your symptoms must be a depressed mood or loss of interest in activities.

Not everyone shows major depression in the same way. These are a few signs:

Anxious Distress

You feel tense and restless on most days. You have trouble concentrating because you’re worried that something awful could happen, and you feel like you might lose control of yourself.

Melancholy

You feel intense sadness and lose interest in the activities you used to enjoy. You feel bad even when things are going well. These might also happen to you:

Feeling down in the morning
Experiencing weight loss
Having poor sleep habits
Having suicidal thoughts

If you have melancholic depression, your symptoms might be worse in the mornings when you first wake up.

Agitation

You feel uneasy most of the time. You may also:

Talk a lot
Move for no reason (e.g. fidgeting with your hands; pacing around the room)
Act impulsively

Persistent Depressive Disorder

If you have depression that lasts for 2 years or longer, it’s persistent depressive disorder. This term is used to describe two conditions formerly known as dysthymia (low-grade persistent depression) and chronic major depression.

You may have symptoms such as:

Changes in appetite (not eating enough or overeating)
Sleeping too much or too little
Lack of energy
Fatigue
Low self-esteem
Concentration or decision-making problems
Feelings of hopelessness

Manic Depression (Bipolar Disorder)

Someone with bipolar disorder has mood episodes that range from extremes of high energy with an elevated mood to low periods. Symptoms of major depression occur during the low phase. Medication can help bring mood swings under control. Whether you’re in a high or a low period, your doctor may suggest a mood stabilizer (e.g. lithium).

The FDA has approved three medicines to treat the depressed phase:

Seroquel
Latuda
Olanzapine-fluoxetine combination

Doctors sometimes prescribe other drugs “off label” for bipolar depression, such as the anticonvulsant lamotrigine or the atypical antipsychotic Vraylar. Traditional antidepressants aren’t always recommended as first-line treatment for bipolar depression. There’s no proof from studies that these drugs are more helpful than a placebo (a sugar pill) in treating depression in people with bipolar disorder. Moreover, for a small percentage of people with bipolar disorder, some traditional antidepressants may increase the risk of causing a “high” phase of illness, or speeding up the frequency of having more episodes over time. Psychotherapy can also help support the patient and their family.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Seasonal affective disorder is a period of major depression that affects those who live in places where, during the winter months, days grow short and they get less and less sunlight. It typically goes away in the spring and summer.

If you have SAD, antidepressants and light therapy can help.

Psychotic Depression

People with psychotic depression have symptoms of major depression along with “psychotic” symptoms, such as:

Visual and/or Auditory Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there)
Delusions (false beliefs)
Paranoia (believing that others are trying to harm you)

A combination of antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs can treat psychotic depression. ECT may also be an option.

Peripartum (Postpartum) Depression

Women who have major depression in the weeks or months after childbirth may have peripartum depression. Approximately 1 in 10 men also experience depression in the peripartum period. Antidepressant drugs, similar to treating major depression that’s unrelated to childbirth, can help.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)

Women with PMDD experience depression and other symptoms at the start of their period. Besides feeling depressed, they may also have:

Mood swings
Irritability
Anxiety
Fatigue
Trouble concentrating
Changes in appetite or sleep habits
Feelings of being overwhelmed

Antidepressant medication or sometimes, oral contraceptives, can treat PMDD.

‘Situational’ Depression

You can experience depression when you’re having trouble managing a stressful event in your life, such as a death in your family, a divorce, or losing your job. Your doctor may call this “stress response syndrome.” Psychotherapy often can help you get through a period of depression that’s related to a stressful situation.

Atypical Depression

This type is different from the persistent sadness of typical depression. It’s considered to be a “specifier” that refers to a pattern of depressive symptoms. If you have atypical depression, a positive event can temporarily improve your mood.

Other symptoms of atypical depression include:

Increased appetite
Oversleeping
Heavy feeling in your arms and legs
Oversensitivity to criticism

Antidepressants can help. A doctor may suggest SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) as the first-line treatment. They may also sometimes recommend an older type of antidepressant called an MAOI (monoamine oxidase inhibitor)–a class of antidepressants that has been well-studied in treating atypical depression.

TRD

Treatment Resistant Depression. About 1/3 of people treated for depression try several treatment methods and fail to succeed There are many reasons why depression might be treatment resistant. For example, other conditions can make depression difficult to treat. For this type, a doctor might recommend some less conventional treatment options. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is sometimes helpful in this situation.

Depression And Other Mental Health Conditions

There are more than just a few mental health problems that involve depression. PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), addiction-related conditions, Agoraphobia, and personality disorders are only some examples.

Treatment

Depending on the type of depression, a combination of medication and psychotherapy is usually effective. You need to find the right mental health professional who can properly assess your condition and provide the treatment that’s best for you.

Encouragement and support from those you love is essential. You need to have someone close to always have your back as you move toward recovery. In addition, mental health resources are very beneficial.

Beat The Myths

Just like other mental health conditions, depression is real. We need to take it seriously. In this digital era where fake news is rampant, informing ourselves is important more than ever. Everyone deserves proper treatment no matter what form of illness they have. Medical advice is essential, and you need to seek it at the first sign of depression. There are many treatment options so don’t be scared. It’s not just about taking a specific medicine or any required drug. Psychological health is just as important as physical health. It’s time to stop the long overdue stigma surrounding mental health.

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