The question of guilt, "Is it my fault I am depressed. Am I guilty of causing it? Have I done something bad?"

If yes, then I am responsible for what has happened and in order to be "good" I must get "well" and I continue to be "wrong" somehow if I don't.

She mentions that one way of getting out of the above conclusion is to say we're sick, that we couldn't help it. A possible conclusion to that, then, would be that we don't have to fix ourselves, that we can't, and our families and friends should back off because we're ill, darnit!

If Rohag is right, and she favors the idea the we are depressed because of wrong thinking, I have to wonder where guilt plays in then. Is it our fault that we have wrong thinking? What if that wrong thinking was learned from friends and family? What if we are genetically pre-disposed to wrong thinking? What if we can't learn right thinking without medication? What if we can? What if we chose to be "sick" and will stay there because we chose it? What if we can rise out of it and be responsible for our care? What if there are multiple factors and not just one?

Okay, lots of thoughts, not all my opinions. My opinion is more along these lines:

There are biological components to depression.
There are learned components to depression.
There are unconcious detrimental choices we make for self-preserving purposes, sometimes even "sinful" choices, if you want to go so far.
There are choices we sometimes "have" to make, the lesser of two evils, so to speak.
Medications are often good, usually helpful, sometimes absolutely necessary.
Changing the way we think/cope is a must.
Having supportive and not blaming friends/family is a must.
Having these friends/family members know us well enough to know when we're bulls****ing ourselves/others about parts of our depression is a must.
Taking Tumnus' words with a grain of salt and not getting angry about said opinions is greatly appreciated.

I guess I feel like making lists today. Thanks for making me think a little.