Chronic depression is not reasonable or rational. It is not related to life's circumstances. In reading these posts I've noted people are married & single, poor & rich, educated & ignorant, parents & childless; and probably had good, bad or absent parents.
My point is that there will always be reasons to be depressed (mine are being single, childless, poor at 45 and raised by emotionally absent parents). But it is NOT NORMAL to spend half your time (or more)being depressed. THIS IS A CHEMICAL IMBALANCE. You don't tell a diabetic to "start making insulin". You give them insulin. Their lives are not easy and they have to take extra care of themselves, but they do lead productive lives.
I take an anti-depressant, otherwise I wouldn't even get out of bed in the morning. But I also must exercise, watch what I eat, keep up socially & spiritually (isolating is the worst thing you can do for depression). If I don't do these other "therapies" I go right down hill again. So medication is never enough for me - and probably not for anyone else. On the other hand, without my meds I'd be 6ft under by now.
If you are chronically depressed, get help - but don't expect the little pill to be a quick fix.
My point is that there will always be reasons to be depressed (mine are being single, childless, poor at 45 and raised by emotionally absent parents). But it is NOT NORMAL to spend half your time (or more)being depressed. THIS IS A CHEMICAL IMBALANCE. You don't tell a diabetic to "start making insulin". You give them insulin. Their lives are not easy and they have to take extra care of themselves, but they do lead productive lives.
I take an anti-depressant, otherwise I wouldn't even get out of bed in the morning. But I also must exercise, watch what I eat, keep up socially & spiritually (isolating is the worst thing you can do for depression). If I don't do these other "therapies" I go right down hill again. So medication is never enough for me - and probably not for anyone else. On the other hand, without my meds I'd be 6ft under by now.
If you are chronically depressed, get help - but don't expect the little pill to be a quick fix.