Previously published in Examiner
Here are some of the common myths shared by many Montrealers:
Depression is not a disorder
Probably the biggest myth of all is that Montrealers, like many people across the world still believe that depression is not a mental disorder. People think that depression is just sadness and people should stop being sad and feel happy. Some Montrealers as well as people all over the world feel that people who say they are depressed are just using it to be an excuse for not doing the things they should be doing in life.
The truth of the matter is depression is a mood disorder with a biological basis. Research shows that brains of clinically depressed people (particularly in the limbic area of the brain, most notably the hypocampus) are different than those of non-depressed people. Furthermore the biggest research on serotonin and brain chemicals show the imbalance of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a brain chemical responsible for mood. Lower levels of serotonin causes clinical depression.
Only women get depressed
Although it is true that more women go to seek help for depression. It isn’t true to think that only women are affected by depression or even to think that more women than men are affected by depression. Researchers cannot properly calculate the gender differences here. The reason is due to how differently men and women cope with depression. Women are more likely to seek professional help when they are depressed, whereas men tend to hide their depression, become workaholics or isolated themselves and not talk about it. Having said that, the stats for either gender are not true stats, because many people who are so severely depressed do not believe anyone can help them and so they do not seek help in the first place.
to be continued
Here are some centers in Montreal for the treatment of depression
The Montreal Center for Anxiety and Depression
Montreal Clinic for Therapy Services
Interested individuals can seek hospital services and outpatient clinics around the city
Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/depression/ss/slideshow-depression-myths?ecd=wnl_dep_102811