[HPforGrownups] Quick to define Harry as "clinically depressed"?

[Shaun Hately]

No: HPFGUIDX 110869

On 21 Aug 2004 at 22:53, syroun wrote:

> His reaction to this can only be one of deep melancholy, as true 
> depression is defined not by the preponderance of unfortunate or 
> even dire circumstances, but rather, a lack of those circumstances. 
> Those who become clinically depressed do so, in a cyclical fashion 
> regardless of their environment, and have difficulty finding their 
> way out. The rest of us, when confronted with awful circumstances, 
> simply continue to trudge on with life, and despite the negative. In 
> doing so, we find that eventually, we achieve one type of success or 
> another and that gives us hope that others are to come. 
> Harry will be no different.

While you may be correct, I find it just slightly disturbing to see 
some of the attitudes towards clinical depression that are being 
expressed on this list.

Above is one example: "Those who become clinically depressed do so, 
in a cyclical fashion regardless of their environment, and have 
difficulty finding their way out."  

Too many people here, seem to me to have a very narrow view of what 
clinical depression is, of what depression is. And unless Harry 
fits their own narrow definition, it's obvious to them he's not 
depressed.

I suffered severe clinical depression for about a decade. That is a 
simple medical fact. Environment was a factor, as was my brain 
chemistry. I know this, not just because doctors told me this, but 
because I experienced it all in vivid detail. I know environment 
was a factor - a trigger, in my opinion - because I first developed 
it in a hellish environment. I know brain chemistry was a factor 
because when I finally started on medication to correct the 
chemical problems, I was fortunate enough that it brought my 
depression under control in a matter of weeks, after ten years of 
suffering it.

The fact I had clinical depression is a medical fact.

Now, the thing is, my clinical depression was not 'regardless of my 
environment'. My environment triggered it (it may have come anyway, 
of course, I have no way of knowing) and as my environment changed 
it got better or worse depending on the environment I was in. It 
certainly was not regardless of my environment.

It was, in no way, cyclical. They looked for cycles. There were 
none that they could find.

Difficulty finding a way out - OK, that one matches me (-8

My point is that there's no such thing as a single definition, or a 
single expression of clinical depression. There are common 
characteristics that a lot of clinically depressed people have - 
but in virtually any case, there will always be exceptions.

I actually find it slightly weird to see some people here claim 
Harry can't be depressed because his symptoms don't match the very 
small set that they are using.

I'm not saying the lists of symptoms are a bad idea, and I 
certainly think its totally valid for someone to use such a list to 
try and decide whether or not Harry is depressed - but by the same 
token, I think people really need to constantly bear in mind that 
these lists of symptoms are *very* generalised. 

I certainly can't say Harry is depressed with anything like 100% 
certainty. What I can say is what I see in him matches many of the 
symptoms of the depression I suffered, rather closely. There's a 
large distinction between those two ideas.



Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately | www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       | drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200 
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one
thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the 
facts. They alter the facts to fit the views. Which can be 
uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that 
need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
Where am I: Frankston, Victoria, Australia


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