Tag Archives: name

Renaming Depression

As I am back on the pills as of this morning (and I have a Zoloft headache to prove it!) I am thinking a little more than usual about depression. Hard to imagine, given my obsessive nature.

I think one of this big problems in addressing depression in our culture is the name. Everyone assumes they know that depression=sad. What’s the big deal about being sad? Everyone gets sad sometimes. Get over it.

But if it had a name like Asberger’s Syndrome or Lou Gehrig’s Disease or Sickle cell anemia, then people would know they didn’t have a clue. They wouldn’t make presumptions about the nature of the illness. They wouldn’t presume to judge or lecture nearly as much about it. It might help.

So I’m taking a poll. What should we name depression? My first thought is something like Lincoln’s Syndrome or for you Lutherans out there, Luther’s Disease.

-DMR