Hi folks,

I agree with everyone so far, particularly about the family responses to depression.

Here is a thought. People near to us try to negate our feelings. Why do they do this? It's not because they don't see the depression, it's because they do see it.

I think that relatives of depressed people are absolutely scared ****less by depression, and the fear that it might happen to them. In the words of one psychologist, "It's the elephant in the room" - that everyone sees and no one wants to talk about.

In a wider social context, depression is a feared illness. One friend said to me about posting on this board - "Well, do it if you want to, as long as it doesn't mess with your head, and drag you in." She may have been talking about some treacherous quicksand, not about an honest and caring support group. The fear was even in her voice as she spoke.

In my view any form of 'mental illness' is a phenomena feared more than pretty much anything else. It's the thing that nobody wants. People are so afraid of it, that they can't even admit that it's there.

I don't expect everyone to agree, but this is how I see it at the moment.

Cheers, Myzen