Nobody likes admitting to depression or being on medication for mental illness. But nobody minds admitting they are on other medication for other illnesses. Why is that?
For starters mental illness is a derogatory term which i dislike. Who uses the word mental anymore? But it’s not only that.
Having depression or similar psychiatric illnesses are considered a taboo. You’re considered weak by society and unable to cope. The thing is if you’ve never suffered from depression anxiety or bipolar etc…you can’t imagine what it’s like.
People think it would never happen to them because they are happy and positive people. They are strong people. Well I am a happy and positive person too. And if you knew everything that had happened in my life you could say I was pretty strong too.
But depression comes and goes in my life and that’s how it is. I don’t choose to have it my brain is just wired that way. I simply do not have enough serotonin in my brain.
Depression is also genetic. Its a heritable disease from either or both of your parents. The shorter your serotonin transmitter gene, the more likely you’ll become depressed, especially when life events place stress and anguish upon a person.
Yes exercise and therapy work to alieviate symptoms a bit but like any other sickness you take medicine to make you better.
I take antidepressants along with millions of others around the world. They level me out. I feel normal, I don’t feel sad and I don’t cry all the time. Do I feel shame for taking these pills? Yes, but only because society judges me.
I’m telling you this because I want the “mental illness” stigma banished. I want people to understand that it’s not a weakness and people need support not judgement.
My boobs and me 
Fantastic post, and you are so right about the stigma associated with psychiatric problems. Your post is spot-on! I wrote a post about my experience with PTSD and such after cancer. I also take medication. I was afraid to write about this for years because of the stigma and of being judged. Here’s my post: http://bethgainer.com/matter-over-mind/
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Thank you Beth I will read your post now x
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I’m a card carrying member of the antidepressant club too. What can I say? It’s better than staying in bed crying all day, unable to function. My father suffered severe depression as did my maternal grandmother, neither of whom had cancer, so it’s yet another genetic gift I inherited. Maybe we need a black ribbon movement for depression and can race around (if we can get out of bed) to raise awareness and reduce the stigma of depression and antidepressant medication. There probably already is a ribbon for that but I’m not aware of it.
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