Myths and Misconceptions:
- “Depression isn’t actually a medical problem”
- FALSE: depression is a serious medical conditionand affects people both psychologically and physically
- “You can just snap out of it by thinking positively”
- FALSE: Depression isn’t a choice and one cannot “snap out” of it simply by thinking positive thoughts. Depressed individuals need support, therapy and sometimes medication to aid in their treatment.
- “Depression only happens when bad things happen to you”
- FALSE: Although stressors can contribute to the onset of depression, other factors can also lead to a depressive episode. Depression is caused by several factors including genetics, environmental stressors and psychological factors.
- “If you’re diagnosed with depression, you’ll be on medication for the rest of your life”
- FALSE: Medication is only recommended for severe depression. The average length of treatment for severe depression is two-years. With medical supervision antidepressants can be tapered off andstopped. It is alsoimportant to note that for mild to moderate depression, therapy is the best intervention