It is amazing that people think that depression is something a person can just snap out of. Depression is a serious medical condition with many symptoms. It also comes with a lot of stigma that we as a society must over come. Many people may have false ideas about depression. Depression can happen to anyone just as cancer or heart disease does. But people with it need medical treatment just as they would for other diseases.

A lot of people think depression is not serious and if you have it you are lazy and weak, but that is not true. According to the book Depression, every year 17 million people in the U.S has some type of depressive illness, and one in every 33 kids have depression. Kids may think they do not know someone with depression but most likely they do. Depression can literally happen to anyone, old or young, rich or poor. People with depression must deal with emotional pain. They also must cope with the stigma or mark of shame that our society has given them. Some people think depression is something to be ashamed of. People with depression are simply ill. They need compassion, acceptance and for people to understand.

Julie knows too well how the stigma of mental illness can affect someone with a condition such as depression (Depression: Julie's Story." Depression: Julies Story).

“I have lost friends since I decided to be more open about my depression, but I needed to do it for my own good. Some people don’t want to try to understand it, but there are a lot of people who have experienced the same thing and never knew it was depression,” she says.


“I think there is a perception that you’re just lazy, and can’t be bothered trying to cope,” says Julie. “Some people just can’t see that it’s not your fault. Even now, I dread my employers ever finding out: I definitely think it would undermine me.”

Reading about Julie makes you think. Would I leave my friend if she/he had depression? Would I try to understand and help him/her? Or would I just not care and go on with my life?



A few things you could do to help your friend is:
1) Make sure the person stays in treatment and encourage them to.
2) Reassure the person knows you care about him/her.
3) Do not do to much for the person.
4) Do not make them feel guilty.
5) Do not try to make them open up and tell there feelings.
6) Try not to pressure the person to be cheerful.

Depression is a serious thing. Tell someone if you have it and if you know someone with it help them. Know that depression doesn't mean your weak or lazy. You can not help it if you have depression and if you don't tell someone it could lead to suicide. Depression is a serious medical condition with many symptoms and anyone can get it. It also comes with lots of stigma that we must understand and end.
Works Cited
Company, Eli Lilly. "Understanding Depression." Understanding Depression. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2013.
"Depression: Julie's Story." Depression: Julies Story. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2013.
Peacock, Judith, and Jackie Casey. Depression. Mankato, MN: LifeMatters, 2000. Print.