Is it COOL to have psychological problems nowadays?

[Klaus]

My cousin said at the sunday's lunch, a month ago, that she was depressed.

And she started to tell us what she was feeling and I could sense that she was really enjoying to talk about her sadness, her "emptiness" and the fact that she "was feeling numb" (linkin park song?).

And all family was startled and worried! And I was like WTF! She has tons of boyfriends and go to parties every week! And a depressed person definitely doesnt uses make up and spend so much time taking care of her hair. SHE IS OBVIOULSY NOT A DEPRESSED PERSON!

And she went to a neurologist (maybe it's cooler than to go to a psychiatrist) and HE SAID THAT SHE WAS ACTUALLY DEPRESSED! And prescribed antidepressants for her.

And now the best part: after 2 weeks taking the medicine she told us at the same table THAT SHE WAS CURED! The medicine cured her depression in just 2 weeks!

And her mother (my aunt) started to say that she had to go to a "neurologist" too, because she thinks she is BIPOLAR! Oh God...

I couldn't control myself and said: "Please, see a documentary called "The Bridge", about people who jump from the Golden Gate Bridge, they interviewed a guy who jumped over the bridge and survived and he is bipolar. The guy never could work or go to college, his father says that when he has maniac episodes, he can't even eat dinner or lunch. Please, you are not bipolar, you just have ups and downs, like everybody else here (*excluding me I thought, lol*)

 

[MrJones]

Is your cousin emo? some people just want to gain some attention with things like these.

 

[Apotheosis]

Yes, it's cool.

Depression has been the subject of so much Hollywood romanticization that anyone feeling sad or has a crush on someone who loves someone else believes that their "problems" are so huge and important that they need to see a councilor. And most kids have such a sense of entitlement now that if a doctor foolishly tells them the truth: that they're remarkably MEDIOCRE and should just deal with it, then the kid thinks the man is keeping him down, or whatever.

I'm in a bad mood today.

As with your reference to "The Bridge", there's an animated movie called "Mary and Max" that deals with numerous psychological disorders like asperger's, OCD. SA. agoraphobia and so on. It's a very good, if dark picture of being "lonely in a crowd".

 

[MsBuzzkillington]

You don't know that she was faking it for attention. It may seem that way, but there have been plenty of people who committed suicide and no one saw it coming. Just because she seems happy on the outside, doesn't mean she is happy on the inside. You don't know what goes on with those boyfriends and those friends, you just don't know the real deeper things of what's going on with her.

I once got on some medication a few years ago and within a few weeks they started to work, really well. It's not completely unrealistic that the medications could be working that soon. And maybe she isn't so much "cured" as feeling a lot better now.

Now I know that sometimes people are too quick to diagnose themselves, so sometimes that can be annoying. But I wouldn't necessarily just assume that your cousin is doing it for attention.

And if she is making something up about being depressed just to get attention, then something else is wrong and going on. People don't just make up stuff to get attention for absolutely no reason.

Wait, I just reread that again. A depressed person doesn't spend that much time doing their make up and their hair? I would say a depressed person who hates herself would absolutely spend hours on her hair and make up.

 

[missjesss]

hahahahahhaha omg drama queens !

 

[Kinetik]

While it does seem like everyone's jumping on the mental issues bandwagon, our world and technologies are changing so fast that we can't possibly know the effects of it all on our collective psyches. It's true that things like the internet and the widespread distribution of information are making people think they have a million and one diseases, but I think there are more tangible causes behind our general mental instability.

It's entirely possible for example that all the pollution, radiation, and chemicals in our foods, products and atmosphere are turning us into a world of brain-dead zombies who become dependent on the system for a solution, as is so often the case these days (create a problem and then create the answer to it). That's not even touching on the media corporations who can get away with essentially brainwashing us with whatever they please.

In short, we're subjected to a lot of crap from the moment we're born, and it could make us go any which way psychologically, especially if we're predisposed to certain problems from the get-go. Our world is accelerating way past our evolution, and there's no way we can catch up. So if you want to blame anyone, blame the world we live in.

 

[Beatrice]

While it does seem like everyone's jumping on the mental issues bandwagon, our world and technologies are changing so fast that we can't possibly know the effects of it all on our collective psyches. It's true that things like the internet and the widespread distribution of information are making people think they have a million and one diseases, but I think there are more tangible causes behind our general mental instability.

It's entirely possible for example that all the pollution, radiation, and chemicals in our foods, products and atmosphere are turning us into a world of brain-dead zombies who become dependent on the system for a solution, as is so often the case these days (create a problem and then create the answer to it). That's not even touching on the media corporations who can get away with essentially brainwashing us with whatever they please.

In short, we're subjected to a lot of crap from the moment we're born, and it could make us go any which way psychologically, especially if we're predisposed to certain problems from the get-go. Our world is accelerating way past our evolution, and there's no way we can catch up. So if you want to blame anyone, blame the world we live in.

I feel like I agree with this. And it scares the crap out of me. It makes me even more depressed thinking about it, and makes me not want to live any more. Huxley's Brave New World comes to mind all the time....

 

[thor01]

I feel like I agree with this. And it scares the crap out of me. It makes me even more depressed thinking about it, and makes me not want to live any more. Huxley's Brave New World comes to mind all the time....

yes same for me. I often feel hows it the effect of society as it is, that makes me feel bad things haha.

 

[coyote]

it's not a popular or cool topic where i live - the northern midwest USA

in every small community, at every crossroads, there sits both a church and a tavern

that's how most people deal with their troubles

 

[LonelyWonders]

Yes, it's cool.

Depression has been the subject of so much Hollywood romanticization that anyone feeling sad or has a crush on someone who loves someone else believes that their "problems" are so huge and important that they need to see a councilor. And most kids have such a sense of entitlement now that if a doctor foolishly tells them the truth: that they're remarkably MEDIOCRE and should just deal with it, then the kid thinks the man is keeping him down, or whatever.

I'm in a bad mood today.

As with your reference to "The Bridge", there's an animated movie called "Mary and Max" that deals with numerous psychological disorders like asperger's, OCD. SA. agoraphobia and so on. It's a very good, if dark picture of being "lonely in a crowd".

I completely agree with every word you said.

 

[Beatrice]

it's not a popular or cool topic where i live - the northern midwest USA

in every small community, at every crossroads, there sits both a church and a tavern

that's how most people deal with their troubles

LOL this is so true (I lived in PA.... not exactly midwest but close enough).

 

[lunarla]

Limited perceptions do not yield the best conclusions.

 

[thor01]

On the other hand, you can say its not because there is a stigma against psychological conditions often. There is a difference between the way your seen with a physical ailment like a broken leg, compared to mental. And is often doubten, because it is not visible. Also the way people use the word depressed so loosley kind of takes away from it as an actual illness.

 

[gazelle]

"not sad because you lost me but sad because you thought it was cool to be sad"
I recall that from one of Dido's songs....I guess it is cool to be sad these days.

 

[Hellhound]

I hate people like that. It's thanks to them that people with real problems aren't taken seriously.

 

[Beyond Timid]

Apparently it does seem to be cool. Especially OCD. Ever since it was mentioned in Twilight, people can mention it as a casual thing. I have really had it, though. It left me physically scarred ever since.

 

[MsBuzzkillington]

Limited perceptions do not yield the best conclusions.

Completely agree with this.

 

[Shant]

Of course psychological problems are cool, they add backstory to the characters in a plot. Anyways...

For one thing, some of what you're saying makes sense for someone who's depressed, but does not have social phobia. Having tons of boyfriends and going to parties every week are very common "escapes" for people who, again, do not have social phobia. And numbness is a pretty common term used by people to describe depression.

Social Phobia can make a large difference in comparison. People who are depressed and social phobic would be much different than people who are just depressed. People with social phobia would easily have different "escapes", for example. I would probably say social phobia certainly makes depression a lot harder to deal with and a lot harder to overcome.

Anti-depressants do work for some people, and not for others. Unfortunately I can't say they've ever done me any good, but I'm sure they work for some people. I ran into someone once who seemed really well off despite having had a period of time in which they were in the psych ward.

In the end, try not to judge others' too much. It's things like this that can cause someone to become social phobic and/or depressed in the first place.

 

[Klaus]

Of course psychological problems are cool, they add backstory to the characters in a plot. Anyways...

For one thing, some of what you're saying makes sense for someone who's depressed, but does not have social phobia. Having tons of boyfriends and going to parties every week are very common "escapes" for people who, again, do not have social phobia. And numbness is a pretty common term used by people to describe depression.

Social Phobia can make a large difference in comparison. People who are
depressed and social phobic would be much different than people who are just depressed. People with social phobia would easily have different "escapes", for example. I would probably say social phobia certainly makes depression a lot harder to deal with and a lot harder to overcome.

Anti-depressants do work for some people, and not for others. Unfortunately I can't say they've ever done me any good, but I'm sure they work for some people. I ran into someone once who seemed really well off despite having had a period of time in which they were in the psych ward.

In the end, try not to judge others' too much. It's things like this that can cause someone to become social phobic and/or depressed in the first place.

Right, you have a point! My only perspective is from a social phobic with depression, who is me, I have no idea of how is to feel depression WITHOUT social phobia.

But I can't understand how a very active person, who was backpacking with friends through Europe not long ago can be a depressed person.
When I was really drowned in depression I couldn't leave bed!
And she is not taking antidepressants anymore, because she was cured in just 2 weeks! I can't understand this kind of depression, is that what they call "mild depression"? For me she is just seldom sad, in a healthy way, like every human being in the world.
And you are right, I judge people a lot, and to tell the truth, I hate everyone. Depression and social phobia made me a bitter person. Just like the person above said, I feel too living in Huxley's "Brave New World", and I know that nobody gives a **** for each other anymore.

 

[fdctk]

what the f*ck is so cool about having mental problems, seriously... why the hell would someone act like they're in a state that causes complete and utter misery, just because they think it's the cool thing to do. in my opinion, i don't think she's lying and actually has a problem that need's to be addressed.