Posted by shar on May 27, 2003, at 1:07:55
In reply to Depressed people don't smile, posted by cybercafe on May 26, 2003, at 21:26:40
oh, god.
I smiled with delight when I finally found, after much research, the method of suicide right for me. And, I *was* delighted because it was a lot of hard work. My therapist understood that my smile did not mean I was not "truly" depressed.
Depression may be a state that overwhelms us, especially when we are alone, but rarely to the exclusion of other emotions, including happiness, however transitory. Including, in fact, ALL the other emotions that humans come equipped with.
I smile and laugh. Many smiles are perfunctory, part of my learning how to survive when I was young (smiling was better than the alternative though seething was just below). Many smiles are from delight, and a good joke always brings a laugh. There is, for example, much good humor from the people here at PSB, many of whom are severely depressed.
Has this person ever treated depressed people before? How many? Does this therapist not know that smiles might not be expressions of happiness, but serve many other purposes (some mundane, and some critically important to making it through the family alive or keeping a job?).
Sorry for the intensity of my response, but that is simply not to be tolerated. I don't believe 'not smiling' is a diagnostic criterion from the DSM IV or V or whatever we're up to at this point.
Is this therapist extremely young and inexperienced?
Shar
poster:shar
thread:229308
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030517/msgs/229349.html