Depression: Why is it so hard for us to admit that we're not okay?

I think for me it really hit me when my family called the police and sent them to my house for a welfare check when they hadn't heard from me or seen me in a few days. I was in such a bad place I didn't want to and couldn't move. I had completely shut down. I think you kind of said it all in the first sentence. People with depression are made to feel like a burden and growing up at least where I lived we were always told to not put anyone out or make people go out of their way for you, so you don't want to burden or bother people. It's gotten better over the years being able to talk to my family about it, but they still look at me like I'm made of glass. They don't understand what it's like.

For me, I think it is because I am known as a very "happy" person! I love to make people laugh and smile. Also, because of the stigma, I am scared that they won't believe me! Also very few people can actually give you advice, so why would I tell someone to just give them another reason to worry!!

#endthestigma 

I’m not sure because people that haven’t had any experience in dealing with depression don’t know how or what to say I get scared of really of really opening up I lost a lot of family and friends last year and it was hard cause I couldn’t go so no greving I’m tired of feeling bad the heart surgery took a lot out of me just tired I have tried a few time in the years around. 2013-2014 just trying to keep it together 

Okay but what could you say about my situation, I can't even talk about my issues to them trying to talk with them is like trying to talk with autistic children they just don't get it what it's like waking up every morning wanting to just die they think my issues are simple problems with simple solutions and that I shouldn't complain about my life cause it's "perfect" ya sure I family,a roof over,food and water, but no happiness for anything,no purpose no meaning nothing and no one to fight for and I have already tried to make my parents happy and proud but clearly they want perfection and don't give me any bs that they already am perfect cause just judging by their body language they don't want me around anymore, I am just completely alone.

I think I sometimes create reasons to explain my depression. Whether by misspending money or whatever. Other times, I have no idea why the sadness swells in me.

Hello I have been suffering with, no living with sever depression ever since I have been a little tyke. Depression is an illness that will kill you if you let it. Your job is to not let the beast do that. This illness takes your reasoning ability, your functioning and most of all it takes your dignity. It is an illness that wants you to be alone, a recluse, doing nothing, accomplishing nothing. You have a tiny pain in your head causing havoc living rent free telling you, you are no good, worthless, and hopeless. You have trouble concentrating, trouble remembering things, and trouble making decisions. You are restless, irritable, experience suicidal ideations, and may even attempt suicide. Depression is a serious illness, don’t let anyone tell you different. I have been speaking about depression as a disability in everyday life for the last twenty years. For those of you still with us, I salute you. We all experience episodes every once and awhile. With therapy and medication this illness can be managed. All we wasn’t out of live is to be a productive member of society, be treated with respect and retain or dignity which this illness hast taken from us. It may not seem like a lot, but to us it’s everything. 

The reason we don’t tell people we are not ok, is because of the stigma associated with this illness. Some people just don’t get it, they either just don’t care or they are afraid they will one day it will happen to them. Individuals who live With this illness are not violent. 99.6% of the individuals whom suffer and are treated, are more likely to be a victim of crime than to cause one. I also don’t like how the media portrays people by always saying that they suffer with a mental illness. This gives us a bad name and the public’s gets the wrong impression about the mentally ill. 

I just want to thank you for giving me the space to write this. 

Jeffrey Greenstein jsgreenstein@ Comcast.net

Thank you for making everything so clear and you’re exactly right about the stigma. No one in my family even knows what I’m going through and I’ve only told one friend about my depression. I just don’t think people get it. Do you think you can turn the switch off and be OK.

I’ve been gone for a while from this app .. trying to only focus on my family / wife but I’ve been having these moments where I just sit there and be zoned out and feel out of place or just feel like being alone .. I can’t explain the feeling I’ve been getting to my wife because I don’t know how to or what to expect .. apart of it is I’m suppose to be the strong one holding all of us together and I can’t show weakness .. so I keep it bottled.. but lately I just been wanting to be alone like everyone just leave me be but at the same time I don’t want that it’s so hard to explain 

I guess it’s easier to say I’m not feeling well because I have a headache today or my allergies are bothering me, etc. With me it’s the ups and downs of my moods.  When I have good days I feel like I am overcoming the depression. Then when I have bad days I feel like I’m starting from square one. I feel like I have to work very hard in this life.

I guess it is just easier to pretend to be happy than to admitted that i actually need. Anytime in the past that i have opened up to anyone they always tried to one up me and make their problems seem worst than mine so after a while i just quite opening up to people and started to pretend i was happy.