Depression: ways of dealing with it

How come no one has brought up therapy? Everyone will go through some sort of depression in their lifetime, whether it's unintentional or because something bad happened. Like someone else mentioned, being down or just sad, is very different than being depressed.

Psychiatrists prescribe pills, psychologists will sit with you and help direct you to a solution. Pills should definitely be a choice you make, you should never be pressured to taking pills unless you've been tested and have some sort of disorder. I'm not for the pill popping solution though. If you really think you're depressed and don't want to be, you need to seek help, not just "oh I'll listen to angsty music to cheer me up" If it actually DOES cheer you up, then you're just feeling down, that's not a mood disorder.

Stress is a major factor and causes anxiety and depression in most people. We all deal with stress, but if it's to the point where you feel really hopeless and self loathing, it helps to really talk to someone. There's no need to take pills unless you seriously can't function or get up in the morning. You shouldn't be taking pills and not going to therapy at the same time, because these aren't magic pills. I can't emphasize that enough, and I've been there. They don't magically make you feel better. There's a lot of work involved and you can't do it alone.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Well of course, you can't get better unless you want help. Seeing a therapist is for people who want to get help. Otherwise, they're going to be in denial. If you do see a therapist, it isn't broadcasted to the world unless you want it to be. No one will have to know. Plus nowadays, a lot of people have a shrink, just like how people have lawyers

But I understand the social stigma of seeing a shrink, especially in cultures who generally don't go.

There's nowhere I can't reach.