<p>Though I've had my share of mental problems (serious or not), I don't think it's appropriate to put "I have depression" on one of your 25 things for Facebook. To me, it seems like a pity statement... depression is something personal, something to be shared with close friends and family and counselor. It is not something you put on Facebook for your acquaintances (or even friends) to read. </p>
<p>That's why when my (good but not close) friend wrote that she has depression, I got slightly uncomfortable. I don't need to know that you have depression that you "still have downers, but don't think about suicide like at all. Used to be like seven times daily before the meds." I've thought about suicide. Sometimes I still do. We're teenagers, depression happens. But there are appropriate moments to share it and Facebook is not one of them. An appropriate time would be like if we're having a really deep conversation, and you bring that up. In that case, cool, I'm sorry you had/have depression. I hope I can help. But the fact that you're tactless enough to put such sensitive information like that on Facebook doesn't make me feel sorry for you in the least. </p>
<p>I don't care about the people who comment to say you're "brave." You would be more brave and respectable to tell me in a more appropriate setting.</p>
<p>Yeah, 25 facts are supposed to be fun and pointless. If you have cancer and would like EVERYONE to know, then go ahead and put a note on Facebook saying you have cancer. That’s something that should INITIALLY be shared with friends and family and THEN on Facebook to the whole school, if you choose to do so. But don’t make Facebook the primary outlet for personal information.</p>
<p>One of my sister’s friends sort of announced her engagement (at age 19!) through the 25 things. Some people knew already, some didn’t. If you want to make it serious, then go ahead and do so.</p>
<p>^But engagements aren’t “personal” in that sense. It’s appropriate for the general population to know about your engagement but not your depression.</p>
<p>A lot of people think its a problem that we hide away depression. By not talking about common problems like depression, miscarriage, etc. we compound the issues. If the depressed person wants to publicly announce it that’s his business. And FB is pretty much the only reasonable medium to do such an announcement. You can’t just climb on top of a table at lunch and say “I suffer from depression!”
I understand that you’re upset that your friend didn’t tell you about her depression, but it’s the girl’s choice, not yours. And if she’s doing it to get attention, well then she’s doing it to get attention. You can’t really stop her.
Depression is totally different than random hormone-induced teenage thoughts of suicide. Depression doesn’t just “happen” because we’re teenagers. I’ve been in incredibly bad straits, where I go without talking or eating for days, sometimes as long as a week, then act slightly more okay for a bit, and go straight back into the isolation and starvation. But my therapist never diagnosed me with depression. It’s a very serious affliction, it’s not teenage angst.</p>
<p>well the thing is, depression is depressing. it’s one of those things we’d like to pretend doesn’t exist or else we start wondering why this world sucks so much and whether we should be in it. by ignoring (/concealing) things like rape and child abuse and mental illness, we can put a bright face on the world and hope for a better tomorrow. if everyone felt everyone else’s pain, we’d all go crazy because there’s just too much pain in the world. think about it. 26.2% of people are mentally ill right now. do you really want to think about the fact that 1 out of 4 people in your class or at your job want to kill themselves, are too nervous to sleep, etc?</p>
<p>there’s a lot to be said for being open about your problems. if we were all more open, maybe we’d understand each other better, and care for each other more as a society. and maybe we’d support each other better and help each other get through things. but true understanding is very painful - sometimes it is easier just to get on with life rather than allowing the sorrows of others to paralyze you into despair or inaction</p>
<p>i hope some of this made sense because it is rather late right now and i’m not thinking very well.</p>
<p>I agree with modulation. I’ve been diagnosed with bipolar depression and so far only my mom knows about it. Depression is the hardest thing to admit to, acknowledge to friends or even open up to loved ones, let alone talking about it or revealing it on the stupid 25 lists on facebook. It just trivializes depression.</p>
<p>I have an opposite view. I have severe clinical depression, and I think the best way of dealing with it, and helping others deal with it, is to let people see that it’s not running your life. If you have the guts to come out with it, then why should it be a secret? I honestly don’t think it’s any different than say coming out with your sexual orientation. It is a part of you, why keep it to yourself?</p>
<p>^I suppose, for me, it is a part of me, the most vulnerable part of me and I guess that is why its so hard for me to speak up about it. I don’t know whether admitting it/opening up will make anything any better.</p>
<p>^ From personal experience, I think it makes it alot better. Part of the reason that I was suffering so much from it was because I kept it to myself and didn’t let anyone else in. When I finally did, I realized that other people could help me. It was such a huge relief.</p>
<p>^ Which I happen to think is odd.
I used to battle serious depression, and I would never ever ever ever ever have called it a disease. It was my fault; I was acting stupid and immature; I got over it.</p>
<p>Now, for those with serious chemical imbalances, I think doctors should use a different term than “depression.” At that point, you’re not depressed. You’re sick.</p>
<p>^ The latter IS depression. Being sad or even “depressed” in its common usage are not the same thing as actually having depression.</p>
<p>Anyways, I completely disagree with the threadstarter. Keeping things bottled up and not telling one’s friends are hardly the effectively way to battle depression.</p>