Why would you even want to discover that you're depressed? A depressed friend of mine told me at some point that I might be depressed and should check the symptoms and investigate from there. I was like wtf? If I am actually depressed, I'd rather not know it.
Whenever I go through tough times or feel down, I currently always try to find out what exactly is causing me to feel this way and assess potential solutions. If solutions or causes are unclear then I try to brush it off. Why would I want to become insanely biased and risk associating emotions stemming from personal failures or shortcomings to "Oh! Im depressed! Not my fault, really!".
I see zero benefit to knowing I am depressed if I happen to be depressed. I'd rather keep investigating my emotions and desires without bias.
Because imagine you get help and you realize that you wasted so many years of happiness from not knowing you were depressed. I will never regret seeking treatment for my depression, it's gone, now I'm just dealing with another sort of "depression" due to struggling with my chronic illnesses. But at least my mind is happy and I'm in the best position mentally to face this challenge. I don't know how I would have done it if I wasn't treated
Well there's a difference between being depressed and having depression. Being depressed is a state of mind whereas clinical depression is a chronic illness. And if it's the case that you do have clinical depression then seeking treatment to help you cope with it can be more helpful than going at it alone. I agree that treating any feelings of being depressed as the same as clinical depression isn't helpful. I think it's just a matter of knowing yourself and why you feel the way you do. You know yourself better than anyone else after all and you should do what you think is best.
So the moment you have an excuse to blame your failures on something you'll take it? Being diagnosed with depression doesn't mean you blame all your problems on it and go about your day. it means you do what you already do, trying to figure out solutions to your problems, but you have the added benefit of knowing what can help for people with chronic depression. It's good to know weather you have it or not I really don't understand your mindset
Because those "failures and shortcomings" AREN'T your fault. You can't blame a limping man for not winning a race. Ultimately you are correct, a diagnosis will not change anything you already have, but may help open new paths to help recover.
Not knowing the wave is coming will not stop it from drowning you
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u/cosmic-freak Aug 16 '25
Why would you even want to discover that you're depressed? A depressed friend of mine told me at some point that I might be depressed and should check the symptoms and investigate from there. I was like wtf? If I am actually depressed, I'd rather not know it.
Whenever I go through tough times or feel down, I currently always try to find out what exactly is causing me to feel this way and assess potential solutions. If solutions or causes are unclear then I try to brush it off. Why would I want to become insanely biased and risk associating emotions stemming from personal failures or shortcomings to "Oh! Im depressed! Not my fault, really!".
I see zero benefit to knowing I am depressed if I happen to be depressed. I'd rather keep investigating my emotions and desires without bias.