Does Depression mean your brain is malfunctioning?

Find out the facts.

The statistics show that our mental health as a nation in Australia is worse than ever. More of us are diagnosed with depression and taking anti-depressants.

What does this really mean?

Is there something wrong with our brain or mind?

More of us are taking advice from the media and mental health awareness articles and advertising from those at the top and throughout the medical model of mental health.

Symptoms may include feeling low, flat, sad. Or you may have many negative thoughts or a sense of helplessness or hopelessness. Or low sense of worth.

Any of these symptoms may indeed come up in the medical model DSM5 (Diagnostic System of Mental Illness 5) as a mental illness if you see a GP, psychologist or psychiatrist. This may lead to an immediate diagnosis in your 15 minute appointment with your doctor that often comes with a prescription of anti-depressants. You may alternatively be referred to a psychologist, or even a psychiatrist if the medication doesn’t appear to be helping your symptoms. 

If you have a depression diagnosis, you may feel relieved at having a reason for your symptoms.

What is the main problem?

The main problem is that once in the system you are being treated by Medical model practitioners within the medical model where there is a fundamental belief that once depressed you have a mental illness or a predisposition for depression. It goes on your medical record as your mental health status. For life.

The medical model believes that “once broken, the brain can’t be fixed” or recover.

This is a problem because for a large percentage of people with this diagnosis, this may NOT be true.

This is particularly problematic if you have been raised in a family or culture that puts their faith fully on traditional mental health diagnoses and are comforted by the constantly flowing messages in media and advertising that that what is offered in this space is the best gold standard evidence-based treatment available.

This means that those who accept this without looking around for other possibilities, are particularly vulnerable to being taken into this paradigm of mental illness and may only later realise that they are trapped. The diagnosis remains and they may also have to continue the medication.

Tell us a bit about yourself and why the problem matters to you?

An alternative view may be. Depression is a “thing.” Something that all human being go though from time to time. They may indeed feel low, flat, sad. Or have negative thoughts or a sense of helplessness or hopelessness. Or low sense of worth.

This is because life is often stressful and unpredictable. We all go through relational stress or break downs, financial stresses, career problems and grief and loss. Being alive means we are all subjected to ups and downs and at times devastation. This is the human condition. It may pass as we digest what is happening around and within us, make new choices and one day wake up feeling that there is a crack of light that is opening up, as we turn the corner to recovery naturally.

However if coming out of depression is not taking place, we may indeed need some help.

In former times we may sought someone they could talk to. An older style doctor, priest or wise elder who was able to spend some time in creating a supportive relationship and had the belief that all you needed was some guidance, kindness and time to come back into your full self again.

In former times, there were also some who were so severely depressed, that they were sent to asylums; often for life. Mental illness was seen as a curse and something to be afraid and ashamed of.

I discuss this at length and depth in my book “Let’s Take the Crap Out of Psychotherapy,” (the book has a new cover). In it I refer to many well educated, researchers, practitioners and well-founded evidence-based research from within and outside the medical model. Including findings about the problems and quality of psychological research and the need for a reset in this space.  Let me know what you think of it. 

In this I outline the deep problems, untruths and myths driving the present system and the consequences of seeking a diagnosis along with medication, without exploring what’s taking place in this arena.  

I also outline the inspiration that neuroscience offers to present day possibilities and outcomes with more effective neuro science informed psychotherapies that are available for brief, effective processing in assisting the mind and brain in its recovery.

Once we as the public understand the mental health landscape more fully, we are better equipped to make more informed choices of how we wish to look after our mental health.

I invite you to look at, “Let’s Take the Crap Out of Psychotherapy” Details and would love to know your thoughts and comments.