Is it normal that i am a psychology major, but refuse to..

..seek help for my depression? Now, as a Psychology major, I advise people to seek help when dealing with mental illnesses all the time, so I know it seems really hypocritical when I say I don't want to seek help for myself. I am not in denial. I know I'm suffering with some form of depression and have been for many years, now. I'm aware of all the symptoms I am experiencing and know what should be done. But I don't want to seek help.
When people think of those who wont't seek help for an illness, (mental or physical) they usually think it's because they are ignorant of what is happening to them or of what should be done. In many cases, unfortunately, that is true, especially when it comes to Psychology. However, I'm not exactly ignorant of my situation. Is it normal that even though I am not ignorant of the consequences of depression, I won't ask for help?

Voting Results
47% Normal
Based on 36 votes (17 yes)
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Comments ( 16 )
  • TrustMeImLying

    It takes a lot to reach out and ask someone for help, whether you're a psych major or a therapist is irrelevant. I have a bad habit of doing similar things, where me and another person might have the same exact problem but it's so much easier to help/advise another than it is to help myself. The latter involves emotional blocks/interference. Same reason why surgeons never operate on someone they know. So your situation is not so bizarre.

    Remember, no problems are too petty or pathetic to a psychologist. Even if you are feeling suicidal over a crush, normal people might belittle such a situation, but shrinks know better to not judge and evaluate each situation objectively. It doesn't matter -what- your problem is, it's all about..... wait for it..... how it makes you -feel-

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  • Terence_the_viking

    That is why the diabetes doctors are always fat.

    Lose weight?

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  • _Jesus_

    Ignore anything that Ellenna says. She sucks phone cock for a living.

    Do you maybe feel like you don't want to seek help for your depression because you have already played out the entire thing in your head about how your session will go and which questions a psychologist will ask you? Having the same background yourself and all. . . And thinking that you already know the answers to it, so why bother?

    The thing is, it might be that you are looking for an excuse to not open up and be vulnerable to somebody because you don't want to feel fragile, like your patients?

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    • Also, the making excuse theory may be right....

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    • I started thinking that myself. Studying Psychology has given me insight on what I would probably have to go through when getting help. I think it's what's mainly scared me off.

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  • RoseIsabella

    I think it's highly probable that you're own pride and ego may be standing in your way.

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  • Confusingness

    Toss your sense of logic and get help.

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  • Ellenna

    I'm very glad you're not my counsellor and I pity your clients, because presumably you expect them to have the courage to take steps to change, but you don't have the guts to do it yourself. If you think your own problems are embarrassing and pathetic, I really hope you have empathy with clients whose problems could be regarded in the same light, but I doubt if that's possible for some so dishonest.

    You may have the theory, but apparently you're either a complete hyocrite or your don't have the courage to put your learned theories into practice.

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    • charli.m

      God you're a fucking cunt bag.

      Yeah. Someone with depression doesn't have the motivation or self worth to help themselves. Let's call them a pile of shit. That'll help.

      That's like if I told you you're a pile of shit for being raped.

      Fuckwit.

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    • First off, I am a Psychology major, meaning a student. I am not a professional, so I have no clients.
      Secondly, my depression has allowed me to grow more empathetic towards others with problems. I know first hand what they go through, which is why when I come across someone suffering with some sort of mental illness or emotional problems, I tell them to get help. Even though I am not strong enough to seek help myself, I know others are better off doing so.
      Third, it's not just about not wanting to put learned theories into practice. Nor a matter of not believing in it. Definitely not as simple as that. I am not ready to actually deal with my problems by talking about and confronting them. I pretty much know what I will be put through if I was to seek help, which is why I am not brave enough to do it.

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  • whatsit2u

    blah blah blah. You are just being melodramatic.
    Depression is not necessarily a bad thing.
    To me it is a developmental process, a means of adapting to whatever is making me upset.
    (Simply put, it is a mental maturing process)
    I used to be dramatic and sensitive (disgusting I know)
    Then I stopped caring because I came to cope with the pain and whatever used to hurt me became insignificant.
    The thing is I feel so out of touch with people because I simply don't care for insignificant matters, and when you think about it, all we humans do is hold value to, or complain about insignificant things because we have nothing really important in our live e.g. people, nature, animals, earth, relationships (of course importance is a subjective term, but you get the gist of what I'm saying) You are making yourself depressed, you are the only one who can change that.

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  • What are your reasons for not seeking help? I have suffered with depression for many many years(15+). It can lead to developing other problems both physical(weak immune system) and mental(anxiety, somatization etc) .

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  • charli.m

    Not really normal. What ARE your reasons, then? That info may help.

    If it's due to the general apathy and lack of motivation depression gives you, then yeah, pretty normal. If this is the case, I hope for your sake it doesn't take something awful happening to get you to the point where you look for help.

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    • I honestly don't know. I guess it could be due to apathy and lack of motivation. I don't want to talk about my problems because I think they're embarrassing and pathetic.
      Plus I have spent my whole life hiding this from all of my friends and family. Being truly honest about my problem has never been easy. If that makes any sense.

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      • charli.m

        It does. I pretended nothing was wrong for six or seven years before having a huge freakout panic attack that made me decide I needed to do something. I'm lucky that was all that happened. Sometimes, people need to hit a lower low than they've previously had to give them a kick up the arse to get moving. Problem is, sometimes that low is rock bottom... hard way to learn a lesson.

        My brother is in a similar situation. He's a qualified counselor who really should get counseling for some family shit. He won't.

        I don't know where you're from, but here, counsellors and psychologists are required to have what they call "supervision", which means that for every x amount of client face time they have, they need to see a counsellor of their own to deal with stuff that comes up in their sessions. I would imagine it would cover some of their own stuff, too. Idk if that's a thing where you are.

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        • _Jesus_

          That actually makes a ton of sense. That they make counsellors and psychologists see a counsellor for every x amount of people they deal with. Never really thought about that aspect of that specific field of work.
          I wonder if they implement it in other countries as well

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