The cases of depression are increasing rapidly around the globe. Many people of different age groups are dealing with depression or some other mental health illness. Although lots of people are facing this illness, there are still lots of misconceptions about depression.
“Depression is not real”
Many people still consider depression as sadness instead of a medical condition. Depression is a very complex mental disorder that can occur due to lots of causes. A person with depression can show both emotional and physical symptoms.
“Antidepressants are the best cure”
Depression is a treatable condition. Your doctor may prescribe antidepressants for treating mental issues. It helps the brain to manage mood and stress. However, antidepressants can’t cure all types of depression. In some situations, antidepressants may not show any positive results. You shouldn’t rely fully on antidepressants for treating depression. Some people also think that you have to take antidepressants for life. The medication depends on your condition and mostly the doctor prescribes medication for about 6-12 months.
“You can easily cure depression”
Nobody wants to be depressed. Many people think that you are in grief or sadness. According to them, you can treat depression by thinking positively. Depression is not like a weakness or self-pity condition. It is a medical condition where the brain is negatively affected by certain factors.
“Depression is always triggered by a bad situation or trauma”
Several factors can lead to depression including grief, sudden change in lifestyle, accident, etc. Trauma is one of the potential factors for depression. If a person has depression it doesn’t mean that he has faced trauma or some bad situation. Events like the end of a relationship, someone’s death, etc can cause depression but not always.
“Depression is normal in growing up”
Dealing with changes in the growing age is not easy. A child has to face biological and social changes. Adolescence can be mentally and emotionally difficult for lots of children. Getting depression during adolescence is common but not normal. Children with age 12-17 often face depression but parents think that it’s normal. If the child can’t cope with the depression, he may start having self-harm or suicidal thoughts. With a proper depression treatment Parsippany, the child can minimize the symptoms and cure the condition completely.
“Women develop depression after giving birth”
Lots of women experience stress or a condition known as baby blues for 2-3 weeks after giving birth. The common symptoms of this condition are anxiety, fatigue, etc. Many women face postpartum depression after giving birth. This condition may develop due to several reasons such as a change in estrogen and progesterone level, less time for sleep, or a depression history. The woman may feel exhausted while taking care of the baby and herself. But not all women develop this anxiety. If the woman is facing postpartum depression then should get proper treatment before the depression leads to some major harm.
“Antidepressants can change the personality”
Antidepressants affect brain chemistry. Thinking about this statement seems scary. After taking antidepressants, there will be some changes but you won’t become a completely different person. These changes are helpful to tell whether the medication is working or not. After taking the antidepressants, a person may show positive changes but the person’s personality won’t change completely.
“Men can’t get depression”
Women are more likely to get depression. But that doesn’t mean that a man can’t have depression. In this society, men are supposed to be physically and mentally strong. People often think that depression or similar issues are only for people with emotional people like women. Men can also face depression and it’s common. The symptoms in men may be different such as aggressive, alcohol, or drug abuse. The depression rate in men is less than in women but the consequences are more severe. Men are more likely to suicide due to depression than women.
“Everyone has the same symptoms”
If two people are having depression, they may not show the same symptoms. People can get depression due to different reasons as the symptoms may also differ. The symptoms can vary depending on age, environment, family, gender, and various other factors. Whenever you face any symptom of depression, talk to a doctor.
“Keeping yourself busy can cure depression”
Some people think that you get negative thoughts when you are doing nothing. When you keep yourself busy, you won’t get any negative thoughts and depression will get cured. This is a myth, engaging in more activities can help in treating depression but not always. Throwing yourself to work may worsen the condition. Word load can increase stress and people may start feeling more depressed. However, the doctor often recommends keeping yourself busy in activities like a family gathering, any new hobby, etc.
“Talking about depression can make it worse”
There is a misconception that talking about depression can make it worse. The person may start showing more symptoms. People often stop talking about their mental health as they find it shameful. They think people will judge them or will consider them mad. But a good talk with a trustworthy person can help in relieving stress. Several therapies can help in treating depression.