What's freaking you out?

[MetalBeast]

I heard one really wild theory that when a lot of the pits closed and whole mining communities found themselves out of work, doctors were strongly encouraged diagnose unemployed miners with depression so that they could be put on incapacity benefit and the government didn't have to include them in unemployment figures.

[Azubi]

In those cases Jobdone, people are going or get the answer they want. The NHS website is going to tell them they very likely have depression and have to get to a doctor. I've not always been this happy and determined with my life, even in the last 6 months but if you go into it thinking you are depressed and then take an NHS self test that says you are pretty much depressed, to me that would make me give in to it a bit rather than fight it.

Like I said, everyone has different circumstances and everyone has different ways of dealing with shit. If anything my current determination and drive has come from being in a very dark place. Giving myself a goal has let me crawl out of it.

[TheLotusEater193]

Am I only one one on here who isn't on some form of medication? Not slagging anyone off for it like, we all have different circumstances and we all deal with stuff differently but what with the depression thread and you lot listing the medications you have been put on and the side effects it all seems more wide spread than I thought. I genuinely only really expected like 1 in a few thousand or something to be getting treatment for something like depression.

Same, I was under the impression they were a 'last resort' kind of thing but i've learned since that it really depends on the doctor.

They are a last resort kind of thing. Just because lots of people here are on them doesn't mean they haven't tried other things first. I was diagnosed when I was 13, had counseling and CBT as well as attempting to man up. Now I have anti depressants, age 19.

[kanet666]

The test thing as put me down as a possible sufferer of depression too... although I'd say I wasn't. Whilst it's been a really difficult year which I've spent large periods incredibly down and blocking other people out I wouldn't say I'm depressed, I just have mood swings a lot is all. I know people who have been diagnosed with it who're a lot worse off than I am, and I'd say I was moving in a happier direction, even if I do have the tendency to become a right morbid git if someone says something that sets me off thinking about the past

[TheLotusEater193]

I think those online tests are bullshit to be fair. The sort of things they ask at the Doctor are "Have you lost interest in hobbies/activities you previously enjoyed?", "Do you often find yourself tired/unable to concentrate?", "Have friends/relatives noticed a change in your behaviour?", "Do you find yourself avoiding social situations?" etc.

[Fjar]

I think those online tests are bullshit to be fair. The sort of things they ask at the Doctor are "Have you lost interest in hobbies/activities you previously enjoyed?", "Do you often find yourself tired/unable to concentrate?", "Have friends/relatives noticed a change in your behaviour?", "Do you find yourself avoiding social situations?" etc.

Three of those four questions are on the NHS quiz.

I think I agree with Joe, that the quiz is for people thinking "Hang on, I wonder if the way I've been feeling lately has been due to depression?" and have consequently gone to the NHS page to find out more. They see a little self-assessment quiz which is bound to emphasise any positive signs of depression in order to get that person - who is already probably concerned - towards formal diagnosis and treatment.

[TheLotusEater193]

Ok, admittedly I didn't read it But i've taken one in the past and they definitely exaggerate any really minor symptoms that people can often suffer without actually being depressed.

[V-Man]

I think those online tests are bullshit to be fair.

This is absolutely not to say I believe people posting here are not in genuine need of their medication. I don't know your circumstances. I'm only talking about this little quiz.

Your statements compliment one-another. I mean no offence to the crowd here but as far as depression being far more common than we all previously thought I would say that just using the core community of this forum as a case-study probably doesn't provide a broad cross-section of society for analysis. It might be a bit like surveying the entire animal kingdom to see what proportion is made up of cows then only taking data from dairy farms. That's not to say everyone here is a cow, just that there might be a disproportionally large number of cows in one place.

[fluffymoo]

What's freaking me out? This picture my mum posted on FB of my sister's daily pills.

[Danroush]

Am I only one one on here who isn't on some form of medication? Not slagging anyone off for it like, we all have different circumstances and we all deal with stuff differently but what with the depression thread and you lot listing the medications you have been put on and the side effects it all seems more wide spread than I thought. I genuinely only really expected like 1 in a few thousand or something to be getting treatment for something like depression.

I was gonna say me (I mostly know about anti-depressants through being involved with people suffering from depression), but I'm currently on antibiotics


As far as the whole mental health diagnosis issue goes, I'd say the biggest problem is that doctors see it in an almost binary way (either you have it or you don't). I mean they sometimes split into mild and severe, but in reality I'd say there's a whole sliding scale, so to assume it's either severe, mild, or not at all is pretty narrow minded.

The same goes for many mental illnesses, which means it'd probably be possible to suffer from 3 or 4 at once but not get diagnosed/help for any, which would be pretty shit.

[De Stijl]

Am I only one one on here who isn't on some form of medication?

Nope, I too am in full control of my thoughts and feelings

Stroke me up in this gang. I cause it, not suffer from it.

[Delightful-Jim]

No meds for me. HOORAY!

[Purple n Batty]

The last couple of days the joints in my hands/fingers have been uncomfortable and a bit painful. This appears to be a side-effect of the tablets I am on. Hoping it's just a temporary one.

[Beardy]

Erika Eleniak's monobrow in the first series of Baywatch...

[tranmerefan]

Got a letter with my running number and details for the Santa Dash in Liverpool.

Erm... a jokey comment has got well out of hand here!