Depression has had such bad media coverage that anyone suffering from it and taking anti-depressents feel they have to keep it very quiet otherwise they are considered mentally ill.
I talk from experience. I have been on anti-depressents for a number of years after spending ten years caring for a terminally ill friend. Those days were hard and very dark and the friend was not always easy to cope with.
If I tell anyone I am on anti-depressents they look at me as if I've suddenly sprouted horns. I have had another friend who was also on anti-depressents whose partner insisted she 'didn't know what she was doing and was right off her head because she was on anti-depressents'.... actually she was not at all, but she was dealing with trying to get him out of her house and out of her life!
I agree with Lloydslights, it's time it was talked about, and much as I am so sorry for Ian, it has to be good for many other people that even someone as famous as he is can openly talked about depression, as can Billy Connelly, John Clease, and many other well known people.
It comes in all shapes, colours and sizes and no one's depression is the same as everyone else's...
I will add this, depression is caused when a chemical in the brain is 'burned out' by stress or distress or whatever. Anti-depressents replace that chemical and help the person back to normality...
A bit like insulin injections balance someone with diabetes.
Depression itself is a physical problem, it's what has caused it that needs to be sorted out before someone will begin to feel more like themselves again, but even then it is possible that the anti-depressent will continue to be required.
Thankyou Darki for your input to what depression actually is and how people can be helped.
