“Happiness is about making right choices. Depression comes from making the wrong choices. We only need to change our consciousness.”

via Get rid of depressive tendencies | Tickled By Life.

I came across this link as part of a professional group to which I  belong online. Someone posted it as a “great article” but imagine my horror when I actually read the article.

Beyond simply inflammatory, this article provides irresponsible advice regarding self-treating depression. There is nothing simple about major mental illness, and while these “helpful hints” might help improve someone’s situation who is mildly situationally depressed, it’s dangerous for someone suffering from severe mental instability.

I think this is a terrible article that perpetuates stigma for mental illness. People who are driven to suicide do so because of chemical imbalance. The act of self-annihilation is a terrible one, but until our society makes it a priority to treat mental wellness with the same urgency that they treat physical wellness, until we defeat stigma associated with depression, suicide, and mental illness, we will continue to see people driven to acts of grave desperation. Using inflammatory terminology to discuss suicide, such as murder and selfishness, can drive a patient to further shame and withdrawal from society. Feelings of suicide cannot be controlled in this way.

The safest way to alleviate depressive tendencies is through a combination of talk therapy, behavioral modification, and very very often, medication. God helps those who help themselves, and that includes following an appropriate treatment plan developed by a qualified behavioral health professional. Self-medicating is DANGEROUS.

Mental illness is not a choice. Self-annihilation is the choice of last resort for the severely ill. Let’s not add our negative thoughts about it to their burden.

If you or someone you know feels suicidal, don’t take medical advice from a random blog. Go to your nearest emergency room, dial 911, or contact your mental health provider or physician. Suicidal feelings are a crisis, an emergency. Do not hesitate to seek immediate medical attention. Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) to be connected to a trained counselor at a suicide crisis center nearest you. If you want spiritual guidance in addition to medical intervention, find a pastor who is trained in psychological counseling. Visit http://www.aapc.org.

If you are depressed, check out these links for information on finding qualified professional help:

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/getting-help-locate-services/index.shtml

http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/databases

You should contact a qualified mental health professional for a psychiatric evaluation in order to determine whether you are truly depressed or have symptoms of other major mental illness, such as bipolar disorder. The best person to develop a treatment plan and prescribe psychopharmaceuticals is a licensed psychiatrist, not a general practitioner and not a priest.