firecat

I have seen multiple posts about depression recently that compare it to diabetes and say something like "You wouldn't expect a diabetic to go without their insulin, right? Well you shouldn't expect a depressed person to 'just cheer up.'"

Here's the thing. There is lots of shaming of diabetics for being on meds or insulin. A lot of people think diabetes is a "lifestyle disease" and that one can choose whether to have it and how to treat it. There is probably considerable overlap between people with that view and the ones who think depression is a bad mood or a selfish play for attention.

I appreciate the attempt to educate people about depression and I'm not criticizing any particular person or post, but I'm thinking some other comparison would probably work better to get the point across that depression is a very difficult condition to manage.

Crossposts: http://firecat.livejournal.com/840538.html

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From:

jenk

Indeed. I've had people argue that incense and weed can't affect my asthma because "it's not toxic like tobacco." YES. So does woodsmoke. Sorry to upset your worldview.

OTOH, I've had people looking at me disdainfully for panting while walking uphill change expressions when I pull out the asthma inhaler - "Oh, I thought she was just fat, she has breathing problems."

Edited Date: 18 Aug 2014 09:02 pm (UTC)

From:

ysabetwordsmith

>> Indeed. I've had people argue that incense and weed can't affect my asthma because "it's not toxic like tobacco." YES. So does woodsmoke. Sorry to upset your worldview. <<

Some of my friends have had asthma, and used to carry a list of established triggers. Over the last year I've added a character with that challenge, and I did some research. I was intrigued to discover that not only was the list of triggers longer, but some things were now acknowledged that we had identified as triggers but nobody would ever believe -- including laughter. Basically anything in the air that is not oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or noble gases can be a trigger.

>> OTOH, I've had people looking at me disdainfully for panting while walking uphill change expressions when I pull out the asthma inhaler - "Oh, I thought she was just fat, she has breathing problems." <<

It's nice that some people can get a clue.