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On a completely unrelated note
Dec. 10th, 2014 11:11 pmI wrote a version of this post, and then deleted it. I'm still not sure whether I should post about this, but...oh well.
The argument, or mistaken belief, that people can "power through" or "will themselves out of" depression is terrible in terms of ableism generally, but it also just plain makes no logical sense.
No one wants to have depression.
No one wants to lie curled up in bed and be unable to get up.
No one wants to feel like crap and be unable to figure out why.
No one wants to sit there, feeling hungry, yet having no interest in food. (Not out of a desire to lose weight or a desire for suicide by starvation, it's just...no interest in eating.)
No one wants to have a hard time getting up in the morning, not because they're tired or sleep-deprived, but because they can't think of anything to look forward to during the day.
No one wants to suddenly lose interest in the things that used to bring them joy, to feel like there's no meaning in their life anymore.
No one wants to be unable to do the basic things that functional adults are supposed to be able to do, like take care of themselves or pay the bills or study for an exam.
No one wants to be stuck constantly thinking about every mistake they've made, every way they're a failure, every flaw and little thing that makes them a horrible, worthless human being.
No one wants to wonder why there is something so fundamentally wrong with them compared to other people, and think about how this brokenness probably would (or does) drive other people away.
I think the desire to believe that people can exercise "control" or "agency" might come from a benevolently misguided attempt to try to have an "empowering" attitude towards depression, but in the end, it's not true and it doesn't do anything except reinforce the (inaccurate at best, harmful at worst) idea that depression will just go away if you "try harder."
Because no one wants to have depression.
And if they could control or "power through it," they would've done so already.
Because no one wants to have depression.
The argument, or mistaken belief, that people can "power through" or "will themselves out of" depression is terrible in terms of ableism generally, but it also just plain makes no logical sense.
No one wants to have depression.
No one wants to lie curled up in bed and be unable to get up.
No one wants to feel like crap and be unable to figure out why.
No one wants to sit there, feeling hungry, yet having no interest in food. (Not out of a desire to lose weight or a desire for suicide by starvation, it's just...no interest in eating.)
No one wants to have a hard time getting up in the morning, not because they're tired or sleep-deprived, but because they can't think of anything to look forward to during the day.
No one wants to suddenly lose interest in the things that used to bring them joy, to feel like there's no meaning in their life anymore.
No one wants to be unable to do the basic things that functional adults are supposed to be able to do, like take care of themselves or pay the bills or study for an exam.
No one wants to be stuck constantly thinking about every mistake they've made, every way they're a failure, every flaw and little thing that makes them a horrible, worthless human being.
No one wants to wonder why there is something so fundamentally wrong with them compared to other people, and think about how this brokenness probably would (or does) drive other people away.
I think the desire to believe that people can exercise "control" or "agency" might come from a benevolently misguided attempt to try to have an "empowering" attitude towards depression, but in the end, it's not true and it doesn't do anything except reinforce the (inaccurate at best, harmful at worst) idea that depression will just go away if you "try harder."
Because no one wants to have depression.
And if they could control or "power through it," they would've done so already.
Because no one wants to have depression.
