Stigma of depression - a personal view

Depression is a serious illness of which I and other patients should not be ashamed but this is hard to avoid. The stigma of depression is different f rom that of other mental illnesses and largely due to the negative nature o f the illness that makes depressives seem unattractive and unreliable. Self stigmatisation makes patients shameful and secretive and can prevent prope r treatment. It may also cause somatisation. A major contributing factor is that depression for those who have not had it is very hard to understand a nd so can be seen as a sign of weakness. Openness by depressives and educat ion in schools could help.