What does Reddit.com say about depression?
By
OptimistMinds
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Author bio
The Optimistminds editorial team is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Each article is written by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The article then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and highly cited published material.
This article will discuss what the online community Reddit.com says about depression. For that, the article will explain what Reddit.com is, and what people discuss about depression there.
Aside from that, the article will explain what depression is, and what should be taken into consideration when joining a Reddit.com discussion.
What does Reddit.com say about depression?
Reddit.com, an online community in which people post about various themes, has many posts related to depression. As soon as you click on their search engine and type depression, you notice that there are many communities formed on the theme.
Some groups discuss memes about depression, and that is formed by almost 225 thousand people. There are also discussions on mental health, micro-dosing, and bipolar disorder.
There is one discussion, in which the participant says they have been feeling depressed, but getting a gift from their wive’s that they enjoyed made them feel better. In 18 hours since it was posted, more than a thousand people have graded this discussion up, and are expressing how they can relate to what the person is feeling.
In another discussion, in which a person asks what depression feels like, there have been around three thousand answers, from people describing how depression usually feels to them. This sort of community may help a person that is just starting to feel depressed to get in touch with what they are feeling and understand it better.
Another community called Depression Help has more than 76 thousand participants, and in it, they discuss how they can cope with depression. In it, there are discussions on how to deal with intrusive thoughts, or how to handle feeling hopeless.
But let’s understand a little more about what Reddit.com is, and what people should take into consideration when joining these communities.
What is Reddit.com?
Reddit.com is an online community in which registered participants can submit links, posts, and content to be rated by other users that will discuss the content with a community. The posts are usually organized by themes, and they can cover many different things such as religion, health, politics, and even entertainment.
And even though Reddit.com has a policy that sets rules on how people should behave as a way to avoid harassment, it still happens. But since Reddit.com moderates the communities, once something like that happens, they can restrict a discussion, or even close them at times.
Reddit.com was founded in 2005, in California. And in September of 2021, it turned into the 19th most visited website in the world. Most of their users come from the United States, followed by the United Kingdom, and Canada.
What is depression?
Depression is a mental health condition that causes the person to experience intense sadness, but not only that, it can lead people to lose interest in things, even the ones they love. They can become hopeless, isolated, and feel guilty, irritable, and ashamed.
People with depression can lose their ability to focus and feel less energetic. They can experience constant fatigue. Their eating and sleeping patterns can change, and their self-esteem and sense of self-worth can go low.
It can cause the person to lose their sense of purpose, and start to consider self-harm. But not only that, it can lead the person to have thoughts of death, and even suicidal thoughts. For a person to be considered depressed, they should experience its symptoms intensely for more than two weeks.
What should be taken under consideration when joining a Reddit.com discussion about depression?
Having an online community such as Reddit.com
that you can use to get in touch with people that are going through similar things as you are, can be great. It can make you feel less alone in your suffering, and help you understand how this can happen to anyone, anywhere.
It can be a great way to learn how to navigate depression when it is all so new to you, and when you have developed your strategies, sharing them with other people may make you feel good, and give some meaning to what you have gone through.
Since people with depression tend to isolate themselves, having those types of online communities can make it easier for them to feel connected to something. And even though most of the experience on Reddit.com may be positive, you may want to be careful about some things.
The first thing is that since it is an online community, you may not know who you are speaking to most of the time. Because of that, you may not want to disclose any of your personal information.
Aside from that, even though there is a lot of positive content in the community, you may want to filter what you expose yourself to. There may be some discussions that can trigger negative emotions in you, or lead you into an even darker path.
And since the internet is unmonitored, you may need to care for yourself in these situations.
Another thing to take into consideration when being a part of Reddit.com is that people are speaking there based on their own experiences. And when talking about mental illness, each person can experience it differently.
There may be people that try to set rules in those discussion groups, which can make you feel invalidated in your suffering.
When that is the case, keep in mind that depression is a single, subjective experience. Even though it doesn’t manifest to you the same way it does to others, your suffering is still worth attention and care.
If you keep those things in mind, you will be able to take the best of what Reddit.com can give you. Being in touch with people that are going through the same things, and can make you feel less alone.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): What does Reddit.com say about depression?
What are the causes of depression?
The causes of depression are still being studied, and so far it seems that it has been discovered that depression has some causes. The first one seems to be genetics. This means that a person may have a higher chance of getting depressed if they have a family history of it.
Aside from that, depression is also related to a chemical imbalance in the person’s brain. This means that a low level of some neurotransmitters such as dopamine, and serotonin; and a high level of hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline in a persistent manner, can lead to depression.
And finally, depression may be related to external matters. It is known that if a person is going through a traumatic event, such as the loss of a loved one, or even the end of a relationship, they have a higher chance of developing depression.
What are the forms of depression?
There are some forms of depression. They can be mild, moderate, major, and persistent. The first one seems the hardest one to be diagnosed. That is because its symptoms are so mild, and they last so little, that it can be hard to even notice. To treat mild depression most people will just go through some lifestyle changes.
As for moderate depression, its symptoms are more intense, and the person can sense some disturbance in their lives. To most people, moderate depression is usually treated with therapy, and in some rare cases, people may use medication.
Major depression is the one in which the person’s symptoms are most intense. They will affect a person’s life in a significant manner, and sometimes even the simplest things such as getting out of bed can be impossible.
When going through major depression the person may experience the common symptoms of depression, along with hallucinations, and may even become delusional.
To treat major depression, it is common that the person goes through therapy and medication. Persistent depression is a form of depression that can go on for around 5 years.
During this period, the person can swing from mild and major depression. And to handle it, in the same way as major depression, the person will need therapy and medication.
Does everyone improve from depression in the same way?
No, not everyone will cope and feel better from depression in the same way. Some people will only go to therapy, others will also take medication. Some may benefit from support groups, and others prefer individual therapy.
That is why you need to be careful when taking part in group discussions about, for example, the best way to treat depression or the best medication to get a handle on your symptoms.
People are always speaking from their point of view, and what worked for them. Looking at scientific information may help you understand better. But always keep in mind that each individual is different, and embrace your process.
How can I help my friend with depression?
If you have a friend that is depressed, having a close relationship with them, with good communication is the main thing. Let them know you understand that they are depressed and that you are open to helping them in any way you can. But be careful to not get in the mood of fixing everything.
Understand that most times your friend will need someone to share their feelings with, but not someone to fix everything. If during your communication, you see there is a chance to discuss with them the possibility of looking for professional treatment, it can be a good idea.
Let them know you can be by their side while they are looking for someone they feel comfortable with. Make yourself present in their lives, but also remember to care for yourself. To help them, you need to be healthy as well.
What should I be careful with when in an online community?
If you are a part of an online community, such as Reddit.com, you should be careful to not disclose too much of your personal life or even bank information. Keep in mind that even if the discussions are monitored on Reddit.com, when we are talking to someone online, it is hard to be sure of who that person is.
Aside from that, you should always take what is being said in the communities to your doctor. Don’t make any decision regarding your treatment without discussing it with them.
Conclusion
This article showed what the online community Reddit.com says about depression. For that, the article explained what Reddit.com is, and what depression is. The article finally highlighted what are things that should be taken under consideration when you join a discussion about depression.
If you have any questions or comments about depression, feel free to write them in the section below.
References
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/depression/
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