A family friend has been out on his mission about 4 months...

[danimal]

Originally Posted by Adam

While this is harsher than I would have said it, I basically agree. Depression is real. Deal with it and do your duty.

Sure, we all get the blues and feel down sometimes. After a short time and some bucking up, we usually feel better. Major Depression is different. People who have never had it don't seem to realize this.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by danimal

Sure, we all get the blues and feel down sometimes. After a short time and some bucking up, we usually feel better. Major Depression is different. People who have never had it don't seem to realize this.

Clinical depression, both temporary and permanent is serious, but it's rare for twenty year old males to suffer it in the proportions that we're seeing in terms of elders coming home. If they want to say, it sucked and I didn't like it, I'd be better with that than, dummying a phony medical excuse.

[danimal]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Mental illness is serious, but it appears depression is thrown around loosely to excuse any time somebody feels badly for himself. As malapert stated, many of these are simply, coddled and soft middle class kids who can't hack it.

Maybe. The only ones I've seen go home were pretty severe cases -- many suicidal. Assuming that going home for depression is pretty ungenerous.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by danimal

Maybe. The only ones I've seen go home were pretty severe cases -- many suicidal. Assuming that going home for depression is pretty ungenerous.

In my mission, nobody went home during the entire time I served. In my ward, we have had several coddled boys who came home, claiming depression but when I inquired if the kids are now medicated, the parents have responded "oh, no, it went away."

Except in rare cases of extreme temporary clinical depression, it doesn't just "go away."

[tooblue]

Originally Posted by Adam

While this is harsher than I would have said it, I basically agree. Depression is real. Deal with it and do your duty.

It was unduly harsh but I also agree. It is epidemic in this generation. Unfortunately in my experience teaching this age group depression and an accute inability to handle too much stress is more an excuse than real. This same generation brings their parents to college to argue with professors over grades!

While I am extremely sympathetic to emotional problems suffered by many I parrot Adam when he says; deal with and do your duty.

[tooblue]

Originally Posted by Archaea

In my mission, nobody went home during the entire time I served. In my ward, we have had several coddled boys who came home, claiming depression but when I inquired if the kids are now medicated, the parents have responded "oh, no, it went away."

Except in rare cases of extreme temporary clinical depression, it doesn't just "go away."

You are correct -it doesn't just go away.

[danimal]

Originally Posted by Archaea

In my mission, nobody went home during the entire time I served. In my ward, we have had several coddled boys who came home, claiming depression but when I inquired if the kids are now medicated, the parents have responded "oh, no, it went away."

Except in rare cases of extreme temporary clinical depression, it doesn't just "go away."

I agree that major depression doesn't just up and go away; however, to group all people who come home with depression as being slackers is very stigmatizing and unfair to people with serious problems.

The lifetime prevalence rate is 5-12% for men. It shouldn't be surprising that several from every mission go home because of it.

[MikeWaters]

actually people with a first episode of major depression, 50% will not have another episode.

[malapert]

Originally Posted by malapert

Quit making excuses for them danimal. Let me guess, danimal is under 30 years of age.

I didn't see danimal deny being under 30 years of age.

[danimal]

Originally Posted by malapert

I didn't see danimal deny being under 30 years of age.

You are incorrect.