Depression is such a common mental health problem. Yet, there are so many myths that still exist about the condition.

Sadly, these distortions of truths about depression may discourage someone from getting the help they need.

Moreover, they may also continue to feed into public misconceptions about the disease, which only serves to isolate people with depression, not help.

This shouldn’t be the case.

There has been so much research into depression that we have a very clear idea of what it is, how it manifests itself, and, most importantly, how to treat it.

Instead of listening to misconceptions, consider these six truths about depression.

Truth #1: Depression Is Not a Reflection of Your Character

If you’ve been told to just get over it or made to feel guilty about having depression, know that shouldn’t be the case. One of the biggest truths about depression is that it and your character have nothing in common. You could be the most moral and upright person in the world and still be afflicted with depression.

Even Abraham Lincoln, one of the greatest Presidents of the United States, was known to experience bouts of depression.

Depression is not something that you choose to have. Rather, it is a disease that affects your mental health. Few people, if any, would actually choose to have depression if they had the option.

Truth #2: Depression Can Severely Impact Your Life

There’s a common misconception that depression means that you are just sad. Yet, depression is much worse than feeling sad, occasionally. Rather, it is a debilitating condition that can make it hard or impossible to do even the simplest tasks.

The sad thing is that, to an outsider’s perspective, a person with depression can appear to be lazy. This is far from the truth. The reality is that someone with depression is caught in a pit of despair that only gets deeper. Eventually, it becomes impossible to hold a job, go to school, or to live your life the way you want.

Truth #3: People All Over the World Experience Depression

Depression is not just a mental health condition that afflicts people in the Western world. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 350 million people worldwide have depression.

One troubling fact is that the rate of postpartum depression in women is almost double in the developing world. The truth is that it does not matter what your race, nationality, age, or such is—depression can happen to anyone across the globe.

Truth #4: You Can’t Get Addicted to Antidepressants

Medication is such a useful tool for those who need help with depression. However, there is a myth that antidepressants are addictive. This is simply not true.

If you used antidepressants and then stopped, you would not develop cravings. You also would not have to take more and more of the drug to get the same effect as when you first started. These are two very distinct signs of addiction that do not exist with antidepressant medication.

Truth #5: Your Personality Doesn’t Change with Antidepressant Medication

Another misconception about antidepressants is that they will change your personality. This conjures up images of people who have such severe mental health issues that they need to be heavily sedated.

Again, when it comes to antidepressants, this isn’t true at all. Yes, with all medications there can be side effects. However, by working with a medical professional, you can fine-tune the dosage to your individual needs.

Truth #6: Antidepressants Don’t Dampen the Creative Spirit

The classic image of an artist is that they need to be struggling in order to produce their best work. Some people think that if they took antidepressants, it would dampen that creative spirit.

The truth is that depression is really the culprit when it comes to slowing the creative juices. With help, including medication, your creative spirit will actually thrive as you start to find relief from depression.

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If you are experiencing depression, don’t buy into the myths. Instead, listen to the truths about depression and know that you can break free from your affliction.

Learn more about how I approach depression therapy by clicking HERE.