John Waters - "There's no such thing as depression"

wretcheddomain · 14-04-2014 11:14AM #1

Haven't seen this up yet so thought I'd see what you folks thought about it:

Asked if he had become depressed as a result of the national backlash, he said, "I don't believe in depression. There's no such thing. It's an invention. It's bull****," he said, "it's a cop out."

www.independent.ie/irish-news/ive-been-put-on-trial-over-my-beliefs-30180643.html

I think he's right to some extent. I know the common convention in this country is to accept depression in everyone who admits to having it or by a psychiatrist claiming someone has it, but this isn't good enough in my view. Claiming to feel a certain way is subjective - there is no objective diagnosis for depression.

There also seems to be a muddling of terms. People can feel down, stressed, sad, miserable - but for some bizarre reason this is assumed to be an unnatural or "disordered" thing. The fact is that sadness is also a human emotion but common culture has allowed any degree of sadness or stress to be considered "depression" in the clinical sense.

You see the same myth with OCD - many people go around claiming to have it when in reality, in the strict clinical sense, they don't. And that's the point - there's a world of difference between feeling stressed and being "clinically depressed". Due to the subjective nature of depression, these terms and experiences get muddled up and it results in the overprescribing of antidepressants.

So in conclusion, I wouldn't go as far as Waters in claiming depression doesn't exist - it does, but only in a minority of people who have the real clinical version and not some stressful experience in life.

keeponhurling · 14-04-2014 11:15AM

there's also a thread, called something about free speech

14-04-2014 11:17AM

Some people refer to themselves as depressed when they're going through a bad patch, and it's normal to feel sad or down, and might think it's something you can exercise or vitaminise your way out of. They often belong to the 'pull yourself together' school of amateur diagnoses.

Clinical depression though is very real thing and blights affected people's lives, and anyone who tells them their very real illness doesn't exist needs a good kick as far up the backside as it's possible to lodge a shoe.

He's a profoundly stupid man.

suicide_circus · 14-04-2014 11:17AM

If it can be diagnosed, a pill can be made for it and someone can make money out of it

wretcheddomain · 14-04-2014 11:17AM

keeponhurling wrote: »

there's also a thread, called something about free speech

Yes - but I'd prefer to talk about his view on depression rather than talking about free speech as per the first post.

Birneybau · 14-04-2014 11:17AM

Mentalist denounces mental illness.

Makes sense.

I Heart Internet · 14-04-2014 11:17AM

wretcheddomain wrote: »

So in conclusion, I wouldn't go as far as Waters in claiming depression doesn't exist - it does, but only in a minority of people who have the real clinical version and not some stressful experience in life.

This is kinda right I think - but more people than you think have suffered from it I'd say.

As someone who enjoys Water's rattling of cages and contrary views, I think he's plain wrong here - and perhaps doing harm to people who really are suffering from depression.....without being melodramatic about it.

MagicIRL · 14-04-2014 11:18AM

Oh John, I hope you never have to bear the cross that is depression. I wouldn't wish this hell on my worst enemy.

Gatling · 14-04-2014 11:18AM

wretcheddomain wrote: »

Yes - but I'd prefer to talk about his view on depression rather than talking about free speech as per the first post.

He might threaten to take legal action for using his God given opinion

My name is URL · 14-04-2014 11:19AM

Asked if he had become depressed as a result

There's the problem. Idiots asking him questions that they know he'll answer controversially.. anything to help sell a rag.

bluefinger · 14-04-2014 11:20AM

he's probably friends with many depressed people.

Going Strong · 14-04-2014 11:27AM

bluefinger wrote: »

he's probably friends with many depressed people.

Must be purely bad luck on his part meeting so many people who wind up feeling depressed afterwards.

HalloweenJack · 14-04-2014 11:28AM

wretcheddomain wrote: »

Yes - but I'd prefer to talk about his view on depression rather than talking about free speech as per the first post.

In fairness, he spouts a few lines of ignorant nonsense but isn't pushed for an explanation.

He doesn't give much of a view, at all. This whole area is not the focus of that interview, there's not enough to go on to actually draw him into a debate about his views, as he mentioned he'd like the chance to do when discussing other views.

Lapin · 14-04-2014 11:30AM

John Waters depresses me.

Davarus Walrus · 14-04-2014 11:31AM

Yes there is. I've read more than one of his dreadful articles.

wretcheddomain · 14-04-2014 11:31AM

HalloweenJack wrote: »

In fairness, he spouts a few lines of ignorant nonsense but isn't pushed for an explanation.

He doesn't give much of a view, at all. This whole area is not the focus of that interview, there's not enough to go on to actually draw him into a debate about his views, as he mentioned he'd like the chance to do when discussing other views.

I think the statement 'There's no such thing as depression, it's an invention' is opinion enough to gauge the views on here. I think there's a high element of truth to this claim as per the first post. How many times will I have to justify this thread?

bluefinger · 14-04-2014 11:31AM

wasn't he married to Sinead O'Connor too?

wretcheddomain · 14-04-2014 11:31AM

bluefinger wrote: »

wasn't he married to Sinead O'Connor too?

He was - jealous much?

kiffer · 14-04-2014 11:32AM

Some people may say depreased when they mean a bit sad, and some people may claim to be clinically depressed when they are actually "just a bit down" but you aren't really able to tell from short interactions with them...

better a few exaggerators are placated a little than people with legitimate problems are made worse by people being tools...
"Just run around a bit! That'll lighten the crushing despair punctuated by deading numbness".

Dravokivich · 14-04-2014 11:33AM

He seems to have a very binary way of thinking, or at least expressing himself. Things are either one way or the other. Folks who's comments solely boil down to yes/no, tend not to have much value in what they say. I wouldn't be too bothered by that remark in itself. He's just some fool who's trying to have a definitive opinion on anything and everything he knows nothing about. He can mouth off whatever he wants, sooner or later people will start giving him less of the attention he's looking for.

Muise... · 14-04-2014 11:33AM

There's no such thing as John Waters. It's an trollish invention to annoy people. It's a cop-out to let this cnut-bot speak. It's bull**** to waste time arguing with it. That just feeds it. This is the pre-programmed parting shot. Because the cnut-script backfired spectacularly.

bluefinger · 14-04-2014 11:33AM

wretcheddomain wrote: »

He was - jealous much?

eh no. if i wanted to marry her i'd just ask her like everyone else.

Mycroft H · 14-04-2014 11:34AM

John Waters is a fool.

SEPT 23 1989 · 14-04-2014 11:35AM

So he is having a go in a roundabout way at the mother of one of his kids

classy guy

Maximus Alexander · 14-04-2014 11:36AM

I'm delighted for folks who think depression doesn't exist, it means they've never had to suffer it. Long may that last, but do the rest of us a favour and stop speaking authoratively about things you have no knowledge of.

kowloon · 14-04-2014 11:38AM

I don't believe in John Waters.

Phibsboro · 14-04-2014 11:38AM

I really think he might be losing it. I wonder if he is moving towards a Scientology view of mental illness (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_and_psychiatry)

Tombo2001 · 14-04-2014 11:39AM

i think he means it in the same way that a lot of people say they have a flu when all they have is a bit of a runny nose.....two completely different things.

However, he has very cleverly.....ingeniously......said it in a way that will antagonise as many people as possible, and grab as much attention as possible for John Waters.....

....and that the same time give out about how he cant walk down the street without being jeered at.

The following sentence is best said in the accent of John Wayne as the Roman Soldier in the movie Jesus (The Greatest Story Ever Told).

This man, truly, can have his cake and eat it.

Frank Lee Midere · 14-04-2014 11:42AM

Not a nice guy but better off to ignore rather than call for the pitchforks.

The Bishop Basher · 14-04-2014 11:44AM

I had to endure a 2 hour talk by John Waters once. It left me feeling utterly depressed and lacking any will to continue with life.

Thankfully it was short lived and I'm fully recovered now.

Mycroft H · 14-04-2014 11:45AM

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

I'm delighted for folks who think depression doesn't exist, it means they've never had to suffer it. Long may that last, but do the rest of us a favour and stop speaking authoratively about things you have no knowledge of.

That's it in a nutshell.

John Waters - "There's no such thing as depression"

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