I have genuinely answered this question with "I'm not, and if you'll renew my prescription I'll continue that way, thanks." But I know my GP pretty well and she only ever asks me this when the tickybox on her computer makes her. (About once every three years, I think.)
But it's very tempting - and I've seen locums who have pushed me that far - to give the "I don't know, because brain chemistry is something for specialists" snarky answer. I also nearly did this to my physio the last time she asked "so what do you think is stopping your arm from straightening?" but I realised in time she was looking for constructive answers like "this muscle doesn't work when I tell it to" or "the elbow joint locks" or something. :)
I'm surprised at your reaction to this (and seemingly that of all your commenters). I would think that trying to understand what is going on in the patient's life would be a good idea, before heading straight into drugs. I mean, I would have reached for "why do you think you're depressed" as it sounds less accusatory, but I still think it's a good question.
...and then I read the bit about the gallstone. Hmmm.
"Why do you think you're depressed?" is worse, makes it sound like the doctor doesn't think you really are!
The thing is that when you actually are depressed, "why are you depressed?" is accurately answerable only by a statement about brain chemistry.
People who suffer from depression (like the OP and, I'm guessing, the above commenters. And me.) find the common idea that there's some simple underlying causative factor that you could manipulate the right way and you'd be well again really infuriating, because it's not like that at all.
Maybe this doctor's question didn't intend to embody that assumption, but it strongly gives the impression of doing so, so I can understand the reactions.
Well, I've had depression too. And I dispute the notion that a depressed person is unable to helpfully analyse what in their life might be contributing to it. Maybe that isn't what the doctor was asking, but it's a fundamental of therapy that you get the patient to understand what's going on for them. The statement about brain chemistry is actually considerably more glib.
it's a fundamental of therapy that you get the patient to understand what's going on for them
Absolutely. And "what in your life might be contributing to your current depression?" would be an entirely reasonable and contructive way to ask about that. But that isn't what was asked. The crude framing of the actual question was suggestive of (sadly familiar) ignorance about the illness, so I found it unsurprising that it provoked an irritated response.
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And people wonder why I never go to my GP...
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But it's very tempting - and I've seen locums who have pushed me that far - to give the "I don't know, because brain chemistry is something for specialists" snarky answer. I also nearly did this to my physio the last time she asked "so what do you think is stopping your arm from straightening?" but I realised in time she was looking for constructive answers like "this muscle doesn't work when I tell it to" or "the elbow joint locks" or something. :)
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WIN! :-D
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...and then I read the bit about the gallstone. Hmmm.
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The thing is that when you actually are depressed, "why are you depressed?" is accurately answerable only by a statement about brain chemistry.
People who suffer from depression (like the OP and, I'm guessing, the above commenters. And me.) find the common idea that there's some simple underlying causative factor that you could manipulate the right way and you'd be well again really infuriating, because it's not like that at all.
Maybe this doctor's question didn't intend to embody that assumption, but it strongly gives the impression of doing so, so I can understand the reactions.
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Absolutely. And "what in your life might be contributing to your current depression?" would be an entirely reasonable and contructive way to ask about that. But that isn't what was asked. The crude framing of the actual question was suggestive of (sadly familiar) ignorance about the illness, so I found it unsurprising that it provoked an irritated response.
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"Because you're not taking me seriously."
Going to see doctors just makes me cross these days. Hope you're at least feeling better / in less pain / etc. Best wishes.
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