Depression is NOT a Real Disorder

reply to post by Rockstar02


What were you doing at the time? There are a number of different things that could produce an attack, some of them psychologically related and others related to the environment.

reply to post by PETROLCOIN

Situational depression is an overall bleak outlook on your current lifestyle; a dissatisfaction with your current standard of living. Clinical depression is a true disorder of the chemicals of the brain which cannot be treated or cured by going for a walk or talking to a friend.

Can you tell us how they test these people for your "chemical imbalances"? Why aren't there any cures but only medication?

The truth is that a lot of people don't suffer from disorders or anxieties. They are told they do because pharma companies are making a killing off these pills. They provide pills to help, than more pills to off-set the side-effects, than more to off-set those side-effects.

If you have a chemical imbalance of the brain please provide me with some proof showing me these results. What you are claiming is true is actually only a theory and not factual.

Article worth reading:

"Biological psychiatrists have looked very closely for a serotonin imbalance or dysfunction in patients with depression or
obsessive compulsive disorder and, to date, it has been elusive," says Dr. Wayne Goodman, Chair of the US Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee.

Psychiatry's drug prescribing practices rest on a myth debunked by Jeffrey Lacasse and Jonathan Leo in their article in
PLoS Medicine. Not a single representative of mainstream psychiatry has come forward to rebut them.
Lacasse and Leo lay out the case against psychiatry's bedrock justification for prescribing psychotropic drugs. For
decades psychiatry's leadership and chorus of followers have claimed that depression is caused by a "chemical
imbalance" in the brain, and that SSRI antidepressants normalize that "chemical imbalance."
But such claims have been overturned In the absence of evidence. As Lacasse and Leo have shown, not a single peer
reviewed article validates the theory of a chemical or biological marker abnormality in persons diagnosed with depression-
-or, for that matter with any psychiatric disorder.

Alliance for Research Protection

The practice has crossed the line of ethics and I'm afraid we have lost it for good. You see, the pharma companies have already bought out the education system. They infected the practice right from the roots.

I am not doubting you have depression, I think many of us have suffered some in our life. But please do the research before spewing "facts" here. People have committed suicide while on these psychotropic pills that psychiatrists prescribe.

Edit: My apologies I had to re-read your quote. I thought you said chemical imbalance.

Originally posted by Rockstar02
I do not understand where this came from.

This is going to be a rather lengthy explanation, so I do apologize in advance.

Anxiety attacks and panic attacks are two different responses by the body. They are both linked to anxiety and caused by the same brain chemicals, but they happen for different reasons. Anxiety attacks are a response to a particular stressful incident. Panic attacks are a response to a perceived threat to your life.

Based on what you described, it sounds like you were under stress that day and it was enough to trigger an anxiety attack. When this anxiety attack was triggered, your body released adrenaline and stress hormones. Such a sudden and high quantity release of these hormones most often does cause physical symptoms, such as rapid breathing because your heart rate increases to process the release of these hormones.

That is probably where your panic attack began. But to understand why it happened that way, you must understand why panic attacks begin in the first place.

A panic attack, as I said before, is a response to a perceived threat to your life. It is a natural survival instinct popularly known as "fight or flight". It's purpose is meant to prepare you to fight or to run away ("flight") in order to survive a dangerous situation.

When your mind enters it's panic mode, it sends a signal to all of your senses to relay back to the brain the threat they are sensing. If you are not in a dangerous situation and there is no threat to your life, your senses relay a signal back to your brain that they do not perceive a threat.

This is where your panic attack begins. You see, when your senses tell your brain there is no threat, your brain starts searching for answers as to why it is in panic mode. When it senses no external threat, it starts looking internally. This is when your "am I having a heart attack?" type thoughts begin, because your brain assumes since there is no threat to you externally, there must be something wrong internally.

The tricky and ironic thing about panic attacks, though, is the more your mind searches for answers, the more you focus on the physical symptoms you are experiencing as a result of the anxiety and panic. The more you focus on the physical symptoms, the more your mind assumes something is wrong. The more your mind assumes something is wrong, the deeper you sink into panic mode and the worse your physical symptoms become. It's a very nasty circle that continues until either your adrenaline stops flowing or you find a way to calm yourself down.

What is happening to you during a panic attack is quite simple. The rapid breathing is a result of the rapid heart rate. The rapid heart rate is the result of the extra adrenaline and stress hormones. These are the two main symptoms of a panic attack, but there are others, such as your entire body shaking as if you were standing outside in freezing temperatures. This is the result of your muscles being pumped with too much adrenaline. Since you are not fighting or running from anything, your muscles are not using the adrenaline. Too much of it causes them to spasm and cramp.

The important thing to remember during a panic attack is there is NOTHING physically wrong with you. You ARE NOT having a heart attack. You ARE NOT having trouble breathing. You are in no danger whatsoever. Panic attacks are very scary and it definitely feels like there is something wrong, but there isn't. You will feel your breathing and heart rate increase, but if you measured it in numbers, you would see that it is only a slight increase. Other symptoms such as the tight and constricted feeling in your chest is caused by the nerves in your chest "freaking out" because of all the panic your body is going through. There is nothing actually constricting or wrong with your breathing. You must remember that a panic attack is just a sensation and nothing more.

I have been through many panic attacks over the last several months, and I have been to the ER twice because of them, so I can tell you with absolute certainty that what you are experiencing is not life threatening and is not causing your body or your health any damage whatsoever.

The first few panic attacks I went through were the worst and scariest. I found that as time went on, and as I learned more about them, they became less frequent and less intense. That is because if you do not fear them and are not sitting around waiting for one to happen, they generally will not happen, or will not be severe if they do, because you are not allowing your mind to focus and dwell on a threat that is not really there.

I hope this explanation helped and made sense. If you have any questions or ever want to talk about it, please do not hesitate to ask. I am not a doctor, so I probably cannot tell you the cause of everything you might be feeling or going through, but when it comes to anxiety and panic attacks, I have studied them enough to know how they work. I know how much feeling that way can suck, so anything I can do to help someone else avoid having to live with it is worth my while.

reply to post by Equinox99


People continue to roll out the "antidepressants cause suicide" bit, but so far it has only been found in a very small percentage of children. On the other hand the number of suicides has drastically dropped since the introduction of Prozac, yet no one in the anti-medication camp seems to ever mention this fact.

reply to post by PETROLCOIN


What about people that are too happy? Are they sick also?
I am depressed but I enjoy it, I've been this way for a very long time. First I couldn't cope as a young adult, then I moved to self medication and now I just realize life is just as depressing as it is uplifting. I wear my pain as a badge of honor. I knew someone who was just happy all the time, never upset, always upbeat. What I couldn't understand was if she mentally couldn't be any other way or if she was hiding behind it in some way.
Anyway the opposite of depression is resilience, learning to cope with our emotions and I wish I could tell you how i did it but I can't. I'm still depressed but now I'm totally cool with it and it doesn't effect my life in any way anymore. Good Luck to you.

reply to post by Xcalibur254

if no too biggy secret, who funded those touching "...only been found.. "?

but so far it has only been found in a very small percentage of children.

what a pathetic joke that doesn't deserve so optimistic sentence -- that deserves the sentence to pharma charlatans, politicians etc.

On the other hand the number of suicides has drastically dropped since the introduction of Prozac

oh, eh, yeahhhhhh, so harmless druggie -- i'm Just crying of it, wanna this one for own www.drugs.com...

To all those having panic attacks, anyone who freaks out can have a panic attack. Stop freaking out.

Anyone who delves into negative thoughts, will come out depressed

Anyone who believes they are uncontrollably depressed, will never come out of depression... even after drugs.

Ive had the panic attacks, I've had the suicidal thoughts, I've had the depression, for years at a time straight. And everytime I came out of it, it was because I changed to a positive optimistic outlook.

Just look at your posts they are riddled with anger, hatred, negativity, helpelessness, self-victimmization. You are a victim, of your own thoughts and beliefs.

Bit off the topic, I'm not depressed, reading for interest -

But from noticing repeated symptoms - mental and physical - it just popped into my head that alot of stuff here sounds an awful lot like heavy metal poisoning. The complaints are virtually identical.

Here's a link, just chose this one as it has a succinct description -
www.jigsawhealth.com...

I am not a medical person, but I do have extensive sci education (MS, Physics). Do have undergrad enviro sci degree also.

Not a med person, but I know enough and I am struck by how many of the "symptoms" or "problems" here sound so much like metal toxicity.

Where might you encounter such poisons? It's in the AIR. Stack emissions. Research for yourself.

Not to scare anyone, just thinking of some possible causes and potential "fixes" - this might spur an idea in those of us who are in the medical field. Just some thoughts, might be things to investigate.

Hoping for clean living and peace for us all!

I do hope all here who do not feel well, for whatever reason, will feel better.

Depression is a lie and the medications used to treat it are a scam. Psychiatry is a hoax. Just because you feel a certain way doesn't mean you have to accept a societal label or label yourself. I believe that the medications used to treat various "mental illnesses" are the main cause suicide and extreme "mental illness". Societal norms are unfortunately geared toward having an unaccepting climate of our differences and pshchiatry has made being different an illness. We are all different. No wonder antidepressents are one of the most prescribed drugs in the world, everyone is an ideal candidate to narrow minded doctors for being different.

Originally posted by slopeofyourmind
Depression is a lie and the medications used to treat it are a scam. Psychiatry is a hoax. Just because you feel a certain way doesn't mean you have to accept a societal label or label yourself. I believe that the medications used to treat various "mental illnesses" are the main cause suicide and extreme "mental illness". Societal norms are unfortunately geared toward having an unaccepting climate of our differences and pshchiatry has made being different an illness. We are all different. No wonder antidepressents are one of the most prescribed drugs in the world, everyone is an ideal candidate to narrow minded doctors for being different.

it would been fun if you had any proof

reply to post by slopeofyourmind


As I've mentioned previously, since the introduction of Prozac suicide rates have dropped considerably. Furthermore, most of the overprescription of these drugs is not being done by psychiatrists, but by general practitioners. Psychiatry still has a stigma around it and people are embarrassed to go see a specialist in the field. However, GPs are not trained to diagnose mental disorders, so they have no means to measure symptoms, or even what the diagnostic criteria are for these disorders. You can believe whatever you want, but depression has been identified for thousands of years and antidepressants have saved many lives, so realize that your beliefs fly in the face of facts.

I wish I would have read up on this a long time ago. I believe it could have saved my marriage. I still have a good relationship with my ex wife and it hurts me to see her unhappy all the time. After she left me looking for that fix, void or whatever it was she was not getting. She finally went and seen someone about how shes always feeling, and they diagnosed her with Depression. Shes not one for taking prescription drugs and I am proud of that! I used to be a closet smoker I would smoke a joint here and there over the years and she found out about and was so angry with me haa. Anyways come to find out shes a pothead now and the only reason she smokes is to keep from feeling that hurt shes says that is always there. I don't know to much about depression yet but thanks for the thread I will be going back and reading up on this when I get some more time. Can marijuana use help the effects of depression?

I was one of the "lucky" ones as far as clinical depression went. I didn't realize it, but until recently, my life has been a "perfect storm" to make me into a complete failure as a human being.

First of all, my father was extremely negative towards me. He was verbally, emotionally, and border-line physically abusive. My mom was great but she couldn't make up for the fact that dad was an absentee parent who was abusive the tiny bit he WAS home. Yes, I found out later that he had been a victim of child-abuse himself and had other problems besides but I wouldn't find that out until I was married.

I grew up as the "church pet", daughter of two of my churches most well-respected leaders. Both were on the church council and should my family have left suddenly... they did so much there I think everyone would have stood around and wondered what to do for a week or three before they managed to get back to business. In other words, I was the example held up to all the other kids. I could do no wrong in their eyes and somehow got the idea in my head that I had to be perfect.

Second of all, at the school I was attending at the time (one room school, 1-12 in the SAME room learning), decided to give little third-grade me first and second grade workbooks because I was the only third grader and they were cheap *insert expletive here*. I received no penmanship lessons that year and no spelling. I went from there directly to a highly accredidated private school and promptly convinced my class-mates that was as dumb as a stump. Yes, my parents should have sued the pants off that school and everyone involved in running it. They were idiots.

I did graduate on time, miraculously, and had even earned some honors though I was never able to catch-up in math and penmanship and only in my adult life managed to make my penmanship readable and my spelling acceptable.

Throughout my schooling both my school mates and my church youth-group bullied and shunned me. I won't go into details but I was hit, spat on, gum in my hair, pushed down the stairs... you know the story.

From there I went to college where in my second year, the wheels fell off... BIG TIME. I couldn't keep my grades up. I began lying to my parents, and to myself. It didn't take long before I was having panic attacks, punishing myself for having them, and spiraling into depression and serious thoughts and plans to commit suicide and trust me, I was one week away from doing it (yes I had a date planned) and there was NO WAY I could have survived.
An online friend of mine was there for me at the right time. She said the right words and I broke down in tears and told my mom. I got help. I went to therapy. The drug I was given worked right off the bat and after only a year I was able to get off the medication. That's how I'm lucky. For some reason I only needed a shove in the right direction. I am not dependent on any chemical substance in order to feel good.

One thing about depression, you are your own worse enemy. The kind I had, when I was around friends, or family, I was fine. I smiled, I laughed and acted like myself. Now, GETTING to where my friends were and going into the room with mom is a whole different story. When I was alone I just wanted to sleep, and when I wasn't sleeping... oh the thoughts I would have. I was abusive towards myself because I didn't understand what had happened to me and why I was that way, why I couldn't succeed.

After one last blow, an extremely abusive first boss that made me afraid of anyone at work over me, even a close friend. I was under the abusive boss for years and it was years later before I regained confidence in my work. I went to counseling to help my marriage. I didn't even think I NEEDED it at the time. I felt fine. Pretty soon though, I started to get down to the root of my problems. What really had almost done me in all those years ago was the "perfect storm" that had led to a sub-concious desire to fail. After about a week of homicidal thoughts and scaring my husband with the sheer anger I was feeling, I got really drunk and cleansed myself of the negative energies. I also re-gained confidence in myself. I still haven't found a job but I have been working temp since Feb and am no longer afraid of supervisors or failure. I've also been getting glowing reviews and have a stack of recommendation letters on my desk.

For me, the journey has been long but the ending will be happy. I do plan to go back and finish school someday but in this economy... I just really need a job right now. I'm truly ok. I used to think that once someone had entertained suicidal thoughts or attempted it, they would always be haunted by thoughts of "this would be a good place to do it, just jump." but that's not true. Since I finished my therapy, forgave my abusers, and burned the nasty note I wrote to my first boss, I haven't had one such thought. You can conquer it. Just keep at the therapy, do what the doctor says, and do think about trusting your troubles to someone stronger than yourself, someone who loves you and died for you, someone who will heal you if you let HIM.

The anchor holds. Though this ship has been battered, my Anchor held, in-spite of the storm.
Cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you.

didnt read, but my recent thoughts have been that depression is a choice.
im only 18, but ive suffered through depression, untill recently i got the idea to be positive about everything.
it seems to be working great, should help everyone a little at least

its all in your mind

It's not well known at all that a chronic deficiency in nutrients in our diet plays an enormous role on our brains and brain function. Because the majority of the nation is massively deficient, it manifests itself in many kinds of disorders and diseases. Think of how the rates of all chronic disease are on the rise (including depression) and then think about the quality of the foods readily available and commonly eaten by the population. Our processed food nation is picking us apart as we become massively and chronically deficient, most of us for year after year.

I think anyone wanting to beat depression should consider a complete examination and potential overhaul of all foods eaten. Prepare to and be excited about eating whole, raw vegetables and fruit in plentiful amounts including homemade fresh vegetable juices and no fake, processed or boxed chemical food and drink. No pop or cappuccinos just water. No fast food, just homemade meals with real, whole ingredients. These are just some of the things we should all consider doing, not just those of us with depression.

And if someone was serious about beating depression I would consider looking into and researching niacin therapy.

This site would be a great resource for that - orthomolecular.org...

Here's a short video about niacin

Originally posted by venik88
To all those having panic attacks, anyone who freaks out can have a panic attack. Stop freaking out.

Anyone who delves into negative thoughts, will come out depressed

Anyone who believes they are uncontrollably depressed, will never come out of depression... even after drugs.

Ive had the panic attacks, I've had the suicidal thoughts, I've had the depression, for years at a time straight. And everytime I came out of it, it was because I changed to a positive optimistic outlook.

Just look at your posts they are riddled with anger, hatred, negativity, helpelessness, self-victimmization. You are a victim, of your own thoughts and beliefs.

Guess what?
You don't really understand what these people are going through
because if you did you would never say such things (that are TRUE btw!)

The fact is these narcissists are much too worried about themselves to
pay any attention to the fact you've also suffered from panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, and depression.

Who would have thought positivity can actually affect and CREATE a change that
can chemically alter any "clinical depression..." a person might FEEL they have???


How many people in this thread realise the TINY (but significant difference)
there are between Clinical Vs Situational depression???

Depression=depression, no matter if it is capitalised or not.
Wanting a doctor to diagnose you...




I guarantee success if people would only
stop enacting out depression.

Originally posted by ofhumandescent

One additonal thing my son mentioned to me when I said, "more people now seem to be depressed, I know I feel more down right around fall than any other time period". He said, "It's a scientific fact that when we humans get less sunlight, our brain wiring gets into a deprerssion mode".

WOW, It's just not "going crazy for the fun of it" there is hard medical evidence. That alone helps. Now, while I am not normally a depressed person, fall, while a beautiful season tends to make me a little more down than usual.

They actually have sun lamps and also "therapy lamps". Just a couple minutes a couple times a day might help.

Right around now, where I am we are getting less sunlight. It all adds up.

The human brain needs a certain amount of sunlight for happiness.

I can relate to that. Actually taking vitamin D3 supplements helped me a lot. I had a brief MD episode last year. I've gone to therapist, and she immediately prescribed a well-known SSRI. I'd never used one before it got me very sick and made me feel even worse. After three months of a so called treatment i said enough is enough, and gone cold-turkey on them. I regret this decision now because the withdrawal symptoms were indeed intolerable even though i took the pills for only three months. I should have tapered off them slowly.

Now I'm taking vitamin D3 pills 2000 IU daily in addition to omega-3 and vitamin B. Taking these helping me a lot especially in winter when I mostly stay inside. I still spend most of the summer on the beach but for the last five or six years I'm mostly in deep water during daytime and the wreck dives take really long time, we rarely see the sun even in summer. I firmly believe lack of sunshine can trigger depression in later years especially in people like me who grew up playing under the sun, and stayed outdoors most of their teenage years.

Many individuals who have Diabetes are also depressed. Proper Treatment of Diabetes can help. In this group so could, if it was available, helping people adopt new thinking patterns for what Zig Ziglar called 'stinking thinking." I also point out that the tendency to be diabetic is often passed on from mothers to children. Often such Diabetes can be found in family clusters.

Originally posted by Modern Americana
For those of you that are either desensitized or flat out indifferent to the struggles that people with depression face, let me put it into perspective for you, for all of ATS to understand.

Oh boy here is another one that seems to miss my point..
I was THERE! I was on the ledge. I've been sent for psychiatric eval due to me
being declared a danger to myself. I KNOW 1st hand what being called by doctors
-manically depressed, situational/clinical...
-bi polar
-schizo effective...

For as long as I can remember silly # never pleased me.
Worldly goods, personal possessions never pleased me and I never understood why.

Warm fingertips touching my back, my skin, having someone there but taking them for granted-been there.
We aren't never alone. Instead we focus on *why* certain people have XXX or why *I* can't have YYY
and begin to question our self worth based on a multitude of Earthly factors.
-I'm ugly so I can't have nice things
-I'm fat so I'm not worthy of friendship
-I'm stupid/clumsy I don't deserve love.
-I'm short, blah blah F'ing blah. (Notice how many I's there are in there?)

Originally posted by Modern AmericanaDepression is like Gitmo. You are sent there against your will. It is dark and scary. You are tortured and if you ever get out, you will never be the same. Medication is like solitary confinement. People on the outside don't have to be around you, so they feel as though something has been done. And having people tell us that it is just a phase and we will get over it, or to have people cast us aside when we are the most vulnerable is like waterboarding. We feel like we are drowning, but in reality, the only damage that is being done is psychological.

My take is you like to write and do so at the expense of your "friend" and their
experiences because you don't have any. (Had you...they would have been posted ahead of "your friend")

Depression is a prison that YOU, the individual created based on false interpretations
and false perceptions that cocreated the world these individuals now inhabit.

Originally posted by Modern AmericanaI cannot blame you for wanting to be away from the depressing and the doom and the gloom. I don't want to live in that world either, nor does anyone in their right mind. But grow up and see that there are real reasons why we are like this. It isn't simply a choice. It is much more complex than that, and the medication alleviates that choice.

I know my self worth.
I am one of the most wisest people I know because I have an open mind and
don't mind being proven wrong. -THIS is how we as a people grow.
However I can tell based on your writing (and content) I am much more grown up than you appear to be.

I know there are real reasons because the construct for reality is shaped/molded:
At the subconscious level which is derived from the mind first and foremost.
Of course there are things that can affect this but for something to become real
it has to first be an idea/a thought/thought process.
The brain must assess the why's of social inadequacy before the depression manifests.
Once they are created they are in place for when the social failure arises:
The entire human body knows what to do...

Example:
I commit murder on a daily basis.
I'm never charged with a crime and the people I've killed walk away from it.
I have a major flaw in my mind and this flaw wasn't created by the people around me...
IT was created in my mind when I DECIDED they weren't worthy of a heartbeat
due to their: # abilities as a "driver" on the roads...

To them...they are just driving from point A to point B...
To me (and I don't speed) driving is the pinnacle of driver proficiency and Efficiency.
^^^^Flawed thinking^^^^^ -Not to me when I set foot inside my 6speed Sports Coupe...

When I actually STOP and think about what I'm doing...
My BP levels drop, my heart rate drops to nominal levels.
I "feel" better and understand the truth:

There are people out there that don't have the needed efficacy (nor compassion)

to be considerate towards others.
Keep in mind I travel at exactly the speed the signs say and never deviate, ever.
Perception does NOT=reality.
The fatal flaw of a depressed person.

They don't realise the tiny little bubble they call their existence is inside an even bigger bubble.
(Just so we're clear caps used for emphasis, not yelling

Originally posted by Modern AmericanaMy friend has been on medications for three years now and she has been more depressed than ever before. Once she stopped, guess what? She got better. She got a boyfriend. She is going to college. She has her own small business going. She is happy.

She got the help she needed. It wasn't medication, and it certainly wasn't simply waking up one morning and declaring 'I'm going to be happy today.'

edit on 8-11-2010 by Modern Americana because: (no reason given)

A depressed person can actually feel the wants, the needs and attempts to be happy.
They are just superseded because they don't get the love that they need/require as human beings.
Although we are animals by design we have a co-creating mind that can alter
what is going on to suit our "feelings."

The flaw with people=We feel.

Feelings are directly the root cause for:

-fights
-divorce
-hate
-starvation
-murder
-and just about every negative thing your mind can conjure up...

The power of the mind is indeed powerful.
Just ask every suffering person in this thread who feels they are depressed!


I feel like choking people who never signal when they need to make a right
turn nor use the bike lane to do it, yet use the main road to make that right turn, while
waiting until the light turns green when there isn't a No turn on red sign anywhere in sight...

I don't act out my fit of rage and catch myself doing it.
I've never been convicted of a crime. Why am I not in prison?

I wonder how my seemingly intelligent neighborhood like being slaves
to a system designed to entrap them, and strip away their inherent freedoms
for a set of gov't mandated privileges that can be revoked at any time..???

Could it be conditioning, indoctrination and their MIND tells them to?
Could it be these levels of thinking were co-developed by a higher authority (when we're young)
Hmmmmmm....sound familiar?

reply to post by Chinesis


I volunteer to not reply to what you said since I run risk of perpetuating a flame war. I can already feel anger, so I will just let it be.

I will say this, however, I do like to write. It is my way to put my experiences and my dreams on paper. I am immensely offended at your audacity to claim that I am writing about my friend at her "expense."

Also, about me not having any experiences with depression... If you had read my original post here, you would have a different impression. I wont get into details further than that post because it isn't any of your damn business, but suffice it to say I have "experiences" with depression.