TonioTimeDaily

"1. “If I were depressed, I would never go on anti-depressants.”

Are you depressed? Nope?

STOP TALKING.

Don’t put yourself into shoes you’ve never worn.

2. “Anti-depressants should really just be a last resort.”

Wow! You must be a mental health expert! Oh wait, you aren’t. (Unless you are, but most people who are would never say this.) So maybe stop acting like you know what’s best for other people. Thanks!

There are about a thousand things wrong with this sentence. First of all, saying what others “should” do implies you know what’s best for their mental health. People who don’t have mental health problems cannot know what people experiencing them should do better than those people themselves.

This is just as patronizing as telling women not to drink “just in case” they get pregnant, telling people with eating disorders to “just eat!” and regulating women’s bodies to a ridiculous degree.

People suffering from depression are still smart, capable human beings. I have depression, and I am also perfectly able to make decisions for myself, thank you very much. Let’s quit it with the “should”s!

3. “But there are just so many natural ways to combat depression.”

Dude, there totally are. And if they work for you, that’s great!

However… many times, they don’t. I’ve done yoga. I’ve meditated. I’ve taken herbs and supplements. I’ve gone to therapy. I exercise nearly every day, and I have a wonderful family, group of friends, and partner.

Guess what: Without medication, I’m still depressed.

And while natural remedies can be great, they aren’t always easy to incorporate into your life.

Yoga takes a couple hours a week, and not everyone’s body is physically capable of doing yoga. Meditation requires a time of peace and quiet. Not everyone has this regularly. Natural remedies can also be expensive!

Not counting medication (which is about $3 per month with my insurance) I’ve spent over $110 on other mental health-related things each month in an effort to take care of my depression “naturally.” I am fortunate to be able to shell this out, but for some people it’s next to impossible.

Asking people to try all these remedies first before turning to something that can be incorporated into their life relatively easily comes from a place of privilege.

Anti-depressants can also make it possible for someone to get to a point where they can adopt other practices that may help combat depression later."

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