Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

No-Sock7425 t1_jb4ys29 wrote

No offence intended but where tf did they find people with lung cancer that aren’t depressed?

47

geoff199 OP t1_jb5kfsd wrote

That's a good question. It is of course very natural to be sad about a diagnosis of lung cancer. That's not the same as depression. Severe depression is not normal, even if it is somewhat common -- about one-third of patients do have that. The important thing is that the depression can be treated and patients can be helped.

31

MrMarquis t1_jb67xnj wrote

Me. Why be depressed because that's not going to help anything or anyone. I just stay upbeat because it helps keep my family from being all gloomy and doomy. Having a positive outlook can't hurt.

6

uberneoconcert t1_jb6fs4j wrote

I wish I could logic my way out of not being able to get up in the morning on those days.

13

ncktckr t1_jb6e0ca wrote

Depression isn't a little switch you turn on and off, at least not clinical depression which is what I presume the study is talking about. You may mean the colloquial-used "depression" aka situational/reactive depression that many use to mean "really sad for a while" but it's not the same.

See this article from UC Berkeley for an explainer. Here are some quotes:

> Clinical depression is a serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Individuals with clinical depression are unable to function as they used to. Often they have lost interest in activities that were once enjoyable to them, and feel sad and hopeless for extended periods of time. Clinical depression is not the same as feeling sad or depressed for a few days and then feeling better. It can affect your body, mood, thoughts, and behavior. It can change your eating habits, how you feel and think, your ability to work and study, and how you interact with people.

> Clinically depressed people cannot "pull themselves together" and get better. In fact, clinical depression often interferes with a person's ability or wish to get help. Clinical depression is a serious illness that lasts for weeks, months and sometimes years. It may even influence someone to contemplate or attempt suicide.

> Feeling sad and depressed is often a normal reaction to a stressful life situation. For example, it is normal to feel down after a major disappointment, or to have trouble sleeping or eating after a difficult relationship break-up. Usually, within a few days, perhaps after talking to a friend, we start to feel like ourselves again. Clinical depression is very different. It involves a noticeable change in functioning that persists for two weeks or longer.

9

DoctorYoy t1_jb9fnu1 wrote

"Why be depressed?" makes the same amount of sense as "Why have lung cancer?"

1

MrMarquis t1_jb9r5k2 wrote

Weird take, but ok. In my case, and I'm talking about my case only, I didn't have a choice about getting cancer. I can, however, decide how I choose to react to that diagnosis. That was all I was trying to convey.

1

Neat_Art9336 t1_jb8stz0 wrote

People that had depression before finding out about the lung cancer

2