Attitudes

If people know that there is a safe and effective treatment for depression, why doesn't everybody seek help?

It may be because of repression and denial.

 • you try to forget all the bad things
 • you convince yourself that things are not that bad yet
 • you hope that it will improve by itself
 • you may believe that "time heals all wounds"

Behind the above hopes, thoughts and wishes can be a fear of doctors, mental illness or of knowing the truth.

Lack of knowledge
The less you know about depression and its treatment, the less likely it is that you will seek help.

In recent years, doctors, patient associations and patients themselves have done a great deal to inform people about mental illnesses and about depression in particular. There is some evidence to suggest that negative attitudes towards depression are slowly changing. The media often put the spotlight on celebrities who are willing to talk about their depression.

One of the main purposes of Depnet is to encourage education and to provide quality information about depression to all Australians.

Prejudice
There are many prejudices concerning depression. Imagine that you have to tell your colleagues at work why you have been off sick for a long time.
What would you rather tell them?

 • That you injured yourself on a skiing trip to the Alps?
 • That you injured yourself at work?
 • That you are suffering from an infection?
 • That you have stomach ulcers?
 • That you have had a serious heart problem?
 • That you are suffering from depression?

Many people believe that mental illness is something very different from physical illnesses. Perhaps we are ashamed that we have not "been strong enough" if we have had a mental illness. We try to hide our depression both at work and at home because we are afraid of what other people will think and say.

Try to think about how many illnesses and injuries are caused by stupid behaviour or thoughtless actions. Many illnesses and injuries are caused by
 • tobacco
 • alcohol
 • poor kitchen hygiene
 • sport
 • careless driving
 • failure to follow safety precautions at work, etc.

Given all this, it seems strange that mental illness can cause such feelings of shame and guilt? With greater awareness and openness about depression, the illness will soon be seen as unfortunate and serious, but not anything to be embarrassed about.