It just seems to me that this kind of thinking encourages people to use depression as an excuse to avoid things they may really be able to do.
It can, and it has.
In fact, a new aspect to the whole depression question was meeting someone recently who had essentially become a recluse--and used his depression as an excuse to avoid working, taking personal responsibility, and to manipulate others to his benefit. If we label depression as a "disease," then there are those that will use their "disease" as an excuse for a variety of things. Special treatment, avoidance of difficult problems, handouts, etc. You have a point. The person in question was first a kindered spirit (cause he was depressed), but then my view rapidly went south precisely because of what you describe.
However, "the sky's the limit" when it comes to goals, especially in America. Our modern culture likes to show off people and their accomplishments with little context or explanation as to how those accomplishments came to be. As such, there's a plethora of people running around with unrealistic goals. *They* will be a rockstar. *They* will be the ones who invent the next Facebook and become rich.
Just within our own social circle--how many people harbor "rockstar-like" dreams? How many people want to strike it rich by eschewing the whole establishment and striking out on their own? Of those people, how many people *truly* have the qualifications and drive to actually make that happen?
The question posed by the article is one I'm pondering with regards to otherwise healthy people--people who have no desire to slack off or give up, who do work hard, but still suffer for some reason. If medication didn't work, and if other forms of therapy didn't work, this might provide another clue to help find the root of the problem. For me personally, it makes me ponder not just my own goals, but whether my conscious and subconscious mind are mis-aligned in some fashion. And if so, how to correct the problem.
It can, and it has.
In fact, a new aspect to the whole depression question was meeting someone recently who had essentially become a recluse--and used his depression as an excuse to avoid working, taking personal responsibility, and to manipulate others to his benefit. If we label depression as a "disease," then there are those that will use their "disease" as an excuse for a variety of things. Special treatment, avoidance of difficult problems, handouts, etc. You have a point. The person in question was first a kindered spirit (cause he was depressed), but then my view rapidly went south precisely because of what you describe.
However, "the sky's the limit" when it comes to goals, especially in America. Our modern culture likes to show off people and their accomplishments with little context or explanation as to how those accomplishments came to be. As such, there's a plethora of people running around with unrealistic goals. *They* will be a rockstar. *They* will be the ones who invent the next Facebook and become rich.
Just within our own social circle--how many people harbor "rockstar-like" dreams? How many people want to strike it rich by eschewing the whole establishment and striking out on their own? Of those people, how many people *truly* have the qualifications and drive to actually make that happen?
The question posed by the article is one I'm pondering with regards to otherwise healthy people--people who have no desire to slack off or give up, who do work hard, but still suffer for some reason. If medication didn't work, and if other forms of therapy didn't work, this might provide another clue to help find the root of the problem. For me personally, it makes me ponder not just my own goals, but whether my conscious and subconscious mind are mis-aligned in some fashion. And if so, how to correct the problem.
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