Depression and Online Writers

When you read something, be it in a blog or an article do you take it seriously? Do you believe that the author/writer has some expertise in the area of the particular subject? Do you believe there is merit to any comments or suggestions that the author/writer makes? I think it depends on where you are reading at but also the content. If you are reading a blog on myspace then probably you will be more likely to be suspect about advice. However, if you are reading an article on a website that has at least some credibility there is a good chance that you will consider the information to have substance. This leads us down a slippery slope when it comes to certain issues. I know that everyone has an opinion and everyone has the right to express their opinion but where does accountability play into all of this.

I am a blogger, of sorts. I have a myspace page where I do blog about very serious topics on occasion. But mostly I blog about the silliness in the world around me and what is sometimes my humorous take on it. However, I write about things that I am well versed in. I write about life, love, family, teenagers and emotions. I write about these because I have a life I am living maybe not as wel as I should be. I have been in love, and it has worked out and then again not. I have a family, dysfunctional as they may be. I have raised teenagers and lived to tell about it and I have and have studied as well as understand emotions. I also have a back injury and am well versed in my own condition along with the problems and pitfalls that go with it. When I write about it however I write from the perspective of what works or doesn't work, for me. I would never have the audacity to tell someone else they should or should not do this or that. For example; I have a low back injury with nerve damage to one leg and foot. I chose to have injections put into my spine on a weekly basis rather than surgery. That was an informed choice I made with my doctor. I would never tell someone with the same injury, or worse yet. a similar injury to elect to have or not have surgery. These are decisions that should be made between a patient and a doctor. We all know it is foolhardiness to make decisions about your health based on web opinions. Why then would it be any different if it were a mental health concern

There is still a stigma attached to having a mental health issue. Therefore, people don't seek treatment from professionals when they should. Instead we talk about it in dark alleys and behind closed doors. It is almost like anyone who admits they have a mental disorder or condition is somehow saying; hey watch out I could be on the next episode of To Catch A Predator. Admitting you have a problem in this area is almost like admitting you are a failure at your own life. So we, out of fear of having that stigma attached to us don't seek treatment. We instead deny it for as long as we can and then when we do finally get to a place where we feel as though we have to do something often we turn to the internet and attempt to self diagnose and then self medicate. If you have never had a mental evaluation you have no earthly idea what is wrong with you. It could be depression ranging from mild to major, it could be a personality disorder, it could even be a chemical imbalance or a whole host of other issues. The point is that you don't know until you have the tests run to find out. However, I think most people when we feel like something is off kilter decide it must be depression. We then turn to the net to research it and find very little in the way of actual help.

Many people who write blogs and articles on the subject of depression and mental health issues have absolutely no experience in dealing with mental health. What one person believes is depression might only be a couple bad days or weeks to a person diagnosed with clinical depression. And yet we can search any decent search engine and find article after article about holistic approaches to mental illness. I am a firm believer that holistic medicine has its place in our society and is extremely beneficial. However I also am a believer that knowledge is power. How can we medicate holistically if we do not understand the psychological and physiological aspect of the condition we have?

The responsibility of writers to readers is one that is not taken as seriously as I believe it should be. I have been doing some research on depression and mental disorders over the past several weeks with absolutely appalling results. Specifically how people try to manage this on their own by utilizing the “cure your depression without meds” approach. I find it egregious that we as writers of blogs and online articles do not take into consideration when people are reading our material, we in fact may very well be hurting them. We may have a reader who is at the end of their rope and is indeed suicidal and willing to give it one last shot. They search the internet and find articles on vitamins, exercise, community service, self talk, diet and a whole host of other “ideas” . All of them touting that you can turn your depression around on your own. They, due to the stigma of having a mental health issue decide this is the approach they will take and then it doesn't work. To the person with the depression that says I must be to far gone and there is no help for me. At this point suicide becomes a viable option as most people don't want to be a burden to their families and the pain is just to much to bear.

Holistic medicine has its place. For the person who is not actually depressed but simply having some issues in their life all of the aforementioned approaches work. But until you have a physician run some tests to see if it is a chemical imbalance and talk with a professional about the issues both present and past, you don't know what is wrong and therefore self medicating is a horrible idea. Seek professional help first and arm yourself with knowledge, then make an informed powerful choice about your next move.