u/ChiliShouty

“This person killed her/himself“ is just not true.

It implies it was the persons own decision to do it, consequentially putting responsibility on them. But you would never say something like that about a cancer patient, even though your own mutated cells kill you.

“This person died of depression” should be the way to say it. They died of that illness, they didn’t choose to die. People fail to realise that depression is lethal, because it can push you over that edge.

I myself struggle with severe depression, and I am suicidal, but I don’t want to die. It’s very difficult to remember that, because sometimes, depression takes over me. But that’s not me. Healthy me would not think that, these are not my own thought, just as the cancer cells aren’t yours anymore.

(I hope you get what I’m trying to say, it’s a little difficult to put into words)

I feel like this phrase just shows that society doesn’t see depression as an illness, that takes life’s day by day.

I’m trying to understand how someone can struggle with a severe psychological disorder when their life history doesn’t include what’s typically considered 'trauma' (e.g., abuse, violence, major loss).

Is it possible for mental illness to arise from a combination of smaller, cumulative factors (e.g., perceived rejection, high sensitivity, overstimulation)?

I have witnessed many cases of people with an objectively “good” or “very good” life, including friends of mine, that got terribly sick regardless…

As far as I know, they also don’t have a history of mental illness in their families or physiological struggles, meaning they shouldn’t get sick, if you only consider these factors.

Is there some randomness factor involved, similar to cancer for example? Or do we just not know why people without risk factors still get sick?