My boyfriend has been depressed for years. He told me he stopped seeking therapy and doctor's help because they don't help him live with it. He doesn't want to get over it, he just wants to live with it. He's depressed to the point of suicide, but won't get help because he says he's done it before and it won't do anything, so his family and I are in a constant state of fear. I would never say it's getting old, but I could see his also-depressed dad saying it.

Depression is very real for the person who's suffering from it. If someone ever told a cancer patient that their cancer is getting old, would that be justifiable just because the family's suffering too? I don't know why some people treat mental illness as if it isn't real, just because we haven't invented a sad-o-meter yet to measure sadness.

"Whining". Really? That's exactly what I'm talking about here. Others who have never been through it may see it as whining. But it could be a life-and-death situation for someone with a genuine problem. I agree that action should be taken by getting treatment. All I'm saying is that if people find it difficult to even empathize with another person's situation, they can at least try not to make insensitive remarks.

Most people who mention they have clinical depression are seeking help. I am but you also have to realize the financial burden of it. I haven't been to my therapist in around a year, not because I refuse to, but because we don't have the money for me to go. My brother has said things like this to me or told me this is why people don't want to be around me. Hm, is it a wonder that I'm trying to recover from cutting and being suicidal? It might be hard on you but telling the person with depression makes them hate themselves more and feel like everyone would be better off without them.

worldclassrager? How about worldclassasshole.

Now im not a scholar but mental illnesses, unless you had them at birth, come from some type of lifestyle and ive seen it happen first hand with my sister. She dated some guy who was a loser and she slowly became clinically depressed and she isnt now that they broke up but she repeatedly uses it as an excuse to get out of things and avoid problems. She is perfectly fine but as long as she acts mopey before her appointments she gets meds which are her golden ticket to not do homework, work in general, or even go out to family events she doesnt deem "important". The second it is in her benefit she becomes super happy and is all ***** and giggles which is her normal personality. Its extremely hard to deal with and im sure its hard to have but the reason arguments like this happen is because nobody has a fair amount of knowledge on both perspective and its also caused by people who fake depression. (Not everyone fakes it though)

You're right, you're not a scholar on mental illness. And you eloquently proved it, too.

#28 thats what we call situational depression.

Actually, #28 was just saying people like her sister are why a lot of people don't take depression seriously. He/she wasn't saying that all people with depression are faking, and I really don't see how you came to that conclusion.