Could most mental illness be a natural maturation process?!
Question: I think I read an article one time that said everyone goes through a depression at least once in their lifetime. Depression is a mental illness. If everyone has a mental illness at least once in their lifetime, why the shame-stigma on this natural maturation process? Also, we are taught that hopelessness is learned. Isn't it realized rather than learned? Hopelessness is a truth in life and we all tend to suffer from it at least once in our lives wouldn't you say?
Answers: I think I read an article one time that said everyone goes through a depression at least once in their lifetime. Depression is a mental illness. If everyone has a mental illness at least once in their lifetime, why the shame-stigma on this natural maturation process? Also, we are taught that hopelessness is learned. Isn't it realized rather than learned? Hopelessness is a truth in life and we all tend to suffer from it at least once in our lives wouldn't you say?
NO!!!! most mental illness aren't part of the natural maturation process. Mental illness most of them are determined by chemical imbalances in the brain. Being depressed and being clinically depressed aren't the same thing. And not every one becomes clinically depressed. IF what you saw in the article was correct than everyone would experince a clinical depression and that's not true.
Actually, there is specific criteria through the DSM-IV that diagnoses Major Depressive Disorder. It encompasses a number of symptoms that have to be present for at least a two-week period. Hopelessness, in this case, is not "learned," because it is a symptom that a person has no control over.
The depression that you say everyone goes through at least once in their lives, is situational depression. Many people experience this through the loss of a family member, stress, or trauma.
You're right that there is a lot of stigma attatched to mental illness, and it shouldn't be that way. But, I would definitely not go so far as to say that mental illness is a part of the natural maturation process. A bit of depression is okay, but severe, sustained depression is serious and needs to be addressed.