You know, this was meant for people to identify with and not a lengthy discussion on state of mind versus medical necessity. Depression isn't a blanket mental illness and it doesn't make it any less real to tell someone its all in their head. If it was all in my head I wouldn't have felt the need to swallow pills with alcohol or become sad and distant for weeks with no warning several times in my high school career and after. I love living and I love my life, so why would I choose to be sad? Who chooses to be sad? Who says "you know what? I'm going to be down and sad for the next week because it's a state of mind."

Nobody does.
Deperession is real. You don't have to agree, but there are medical studies showing the differences in the brain between depressed and non-depressed individuals. I have known people who no matter how much 'interaction' they have (myself included) they are unable to show ant sort of emotion. No laughing, no smiling, even when trying.
It's real.

Now, I would appreciate not being told it's all in my head.

Because it isn't. Thanks!

Depression is a serious and mental illness. It exists this state of mind that you mention and it's not another thing that a genetic predisposition to develop a depression.

To the OP, I know that some people are in a depression and neither them realize of it.
In my opinion, and based on my own experience, knowing the root for these depressive states help to take some kind of control over them. I see depression more like a symthon than something is not working well.
Good luck!

I don't think it's all in the head. I think we think too much in our heads sometimes though. There's a balance I've learned to keep me from over thinking to much. For me, every thing is learned and unlearned. Some say there are chemical imbalances. I don't know. I'm no expert at anything. I can only share what I think and feel and experience. I feel sharing our ideas helps in many ways. I do not have any answers for any one. I am just sharing. It's just my opinion and that's all. :)

Twistermind, no I haven't studied as a psychiatrist but I only mean that it seems to me that it is only a state of mind in which one displays on oneself which can be solved by just the patient having more interaction with other human beings. The reason I don't say its a illness is that you can solve it naturally by exposing the patient to more interaction rather than the other types of illness like schizophrenia.

I agree with mathematical. It's a state of mind. What we are taught is not necessarily the truth. We've been told by generations of people what's real and what isn't. What's right and what's wrong. I don't agree with everything everyone says about our minds or life in general. :)

In your opinion that's fine, but it's a medical condition in which serotonin absobtion is blocked. So while you can believe it's a state of mind, it's a very real condition.

The power of suggestion. If we can understand that all ideas are suggested, we can realize we have the 'power' to believe them or not.

I love debates too, don't get me wrong, just mental illness hits a little too close to home for me.

Yes and I hope all don't try to discuss the topic by which I made. Lets just mind the original topic that was made.

Yes, but I won't qualify depression as a as a mental illness just a state of the mind.

Well yes, thank you for "correcting" my statement.

Bc you studied Psychiatrist in...