>>13257385>It's a malady of the will, in my eyes.That's the "paradox", because it's both "all in your head" and literally - physically - in your head. There is substantial evidence that shows that inducing physical change, such as inflammation, to the correct portions of the brain induce depressive states in the patient. There's also evidence which shows that a change in perspective and attitude can lead to these sorts of physical changes. Psychological states are both part of the condition, the perpetuation of the condition, and the solution to the condition, but there are also physical and chemical conditions at play, too, because emotional states *are* chemical states.
This dichotomy should go as the assumption instead of as a groundbreaking discovery.
As far as whether or not depression is used as an excuse, that is absolutely the case. I am diagnosed major depressive along with dysthymic disorder, adjustment disorder, nightmare disorder, and chronic insomnia. To listen to people talk about depression, the current zeitgeist would have you believe it is this inescapable inevitability, which is simply not the case. You can live with it rather normally with the correct mixture of medicine (as necessary and prescribed by a psychiatrist), therapeutic approaches, and life-style and perspective/attitude changes. I have been told dozens of times that this perspective necessarily means I cannot possibly have depression as "no one with depression would actually feel that!!!' excuses.
There is absolutely a huge social pressure out there to act as if you are permanently afflicted beyond repair, along with far too much self-diagnosis.
