<p>ryan2288 and funkyfunnybunny,</p>
<p>Despite the initial sharp response, I do appreciate your posts--they're thought-provoking, and it's interesting to see what people think.</p>
<p>I don't think the word "disease" should be tossed around in this context, as if depression were a case of the flu; I personally prefer "disorder". The semantics aren't of vital importance, but I think there's a distinction.</p>
<p>I'll use my own experience as an example since it's easiest to analyze, even if it means I have to be more candid than I'd like to be.</p>
<p>I had a happy childhood until I was about nine years old and my family moved from one European country to another, where we spent the worst three years of my life. I won't elaborate, but it involved isolation, insults, and sexual slurs during what can only be described as target practice. While my parents fought at home, interrupted every few weeks for a business trip, I read my books and picked up a nasty little habit--cynicism. By the time we moved again, I had no faith in people, a fact that interfered somewhat with my ability to make friends. I started scratching up my wrists and tearing off the scabs, and found quiet enjoyment in high places with railings (I didn't trust myself to go near ones without barriers). I wrote bad poetry. I did all the stupid things that you're supposed to.</p>
<p>I don't want to talk about that part because that's not where I am anymore, and I haven't been in years. The point I'm trying to make, though, is that once you stop trusting it's awfully hard to start again, and if you've only ever had dysfunctional relationships the healthy ones don't come easily to you. When you've been told that you're worthless enough times you start to actually believe it.</p>
<p>I've grown so cautious that I think my own friends hate me secretly. I still get upset when they talk about me behind my back even though "everybody does it; you're overreacting". I hurt everyone before they hurt me first, because I'm so scared that they'll leave. </p>
<p>More than anything, that makes me sad.</p>
<p>Depression, in that case, is a symptom of a deeper problem--trust issues--caused by earlier experiences. The real problem is the inability to form a stable, mutual relationship, and that is what actually causes the depression. </p>
<p>I'm a supporter of cognitive therapy because it helps the patient face his own issues, more so than delegating the task to a chemical agent. I don't know enough about antidepressants to speak with authority on this point, but it seems as if medicating would address the symptom rather than the proverbial disease. I'm wary of psychiatric medication for those reasons.</p>
<p>Sorry about the long post, but this is a personal issue that I'm working on coming to terms with. "Getting out of bed and doing something about it" seems rather more intimidating when you're faced with years of ingrained thought patterns.</p>