BBC NEWS - DEPRESSION or are you just unhappy ?

[mirry]

Any one see the news ? Experts are saying alot of people are diagnosed as depressed when infact they are just unhappy .

Im a bit confused now ? I thought I was depressed ? yet I must admit I am unhappy with these damd Panic attacks.

What really is the difference ?

[Jaco45er]

Hi Mirry

I was listening to this in the motor today. I think what the "experts" are saying is, that many instances of GP visits for mental health problems are put down to depression, when really people just need to "talk" about how they feel: ie a wee bit of talk therapy.

SANE's view seems to be that, if the therapy was available more or less straight away (within 2 weeks maybe?) then the "down in the dumps" feeling could be stopped sooner, but as the therapy waiting list is 6 months plus (if you are lucky) then a patient who is merely "down" is not treated quickly, and over time this sinks into depression.

GP's realise that meds are a quick fix solution, and once anti-depressants are administered, I imagine it is recorded as another case of depression.

It's a controversial ole subject this, as the anti-meds industry is worth billions of dollars worldwide, and in the UK especially, there is a massive shortage of trained/qualified therapists.

Jaco

[Gordon]

Yes I was initially diagnosed with just feeling a bit down/depression.

Then I saw a new doc as the old one left and right away he diagnosed me with BPD and said I'd probably had it a lot longer.

I've never had much luck with doctors, always seem to get ones who aren't the slightest bit interested in my health.

Gordon XX

[Alabasterlyn]

I think there is a big difference between 'unhappy' or 'fed up' and real depression. However I am sure it's hard for GP's to diagnose as it's hard as a sufferer to fully understand how they are feeling. I look back to when I was first told I was depressed and realise now with hindsight that I wasn't, I probably was just down and unhappy with being phobic. For me getting real clinical depression was a totally different feeling to how I had felt in the past and I can now recognise, at least with myself, the difference between just being down and being clinically depressed.

[Jaco45er]

Hiya Lyn me ole buddy xx

I think SANE were pointing out that there is just such a massive shortage in mental health practitioners.

Even if they had a huge training and recruitment drive now, the NHS probably wouldn't see the benefit within 5 years, so the hand out of meds will always be the prefered option (IMHO of course )

And you know my meds record Lyn.

Mental Health policy is a bit like road building and house building in the UK, it seems rather like firefighting than proactive.

The media still like to give the impression that suffering from stress/depression/anxiety is a way out for some as an excuse to be lazy, and although I dare say a minority do use it as an excuse (I said minority OK, so no swearing at me readers ), I truely believe that this is an epidemic that is not showing signs of receding.

I have read that the World Health Orginisation have raised concerns that mental health problems like stress/anxiety and the like will be in the top 2 reasons for time off work by 2020 (in the Western world I should add).

I assume they work this out from current and past trends.

Interesting stuff though mirry

Jaco

[Keep going]

Any one see the news ? Experts are saying alot of people are diagnosed as depressed when infact they are just unhappy .

Im a bit confused now ? I thought I was depressed ? yet I must admit I am unhappy with these damd Panic attacks.

What really is the difference ?

Hi Mirry, this is what i was told yesterday about depression in my group. They catagorised it by "Having low mood" and "clinical depression".

Having low mood,as they say is just been unhappy, and lot of people only have to change one thing to make there life better. Like going out more, or just doing something that makes you feel positive.

Clinical depression, is feeling of despair, may be suicidal thoughts, you can also feel numb to other peoples emotions. usually you get medication or therapy for this.

Stuart