How is everyone??

Well hot debates are no bad thing. If we don't ask questions we never find answers. Other than that it's interesting to know the opionions of others and to learn from them and their experiences.

It's not about agreeing nor disagreeing, well not to me anyway. It's about sharing and pooling ideas, thoughts,  knowledge

I've been depressed a few times in my life but have never had anxiety - well, not to the extent of many suffering people on this forum. I just meant that in the queue for scary rides at the fair, for example, I feel scared - even though I joined the queue!

But I don't suffer the awful anxiety that I've read about on this forum - health anxiety, particularly. If a doctor tells me I'm fine, I believe the doctor.

I don't go to the ER innumerable times thinking I had a heart attack. I went once when I had chest pain, and was told there was nothing wrong with my heart.

Please, please don't think I am disrespecting or laughing at people who DO go to the ER innumerable times for the same thing. I do understand that this itself is an illness (Health Anxiety) and I feel useless when trying to help any of you, because I simply cannot relate to it.

But depresion - yes. Three times in my life i have had bad depression. Each time, it got better after anti-depressants and therapy.

So I don't know if the two are different manifestations of the same thing. I am willing to be convinced if I can find something to support the hypothesis, but I cannot. In fact, all the learned journals are saying just the opposite.

And Anx, It's a good thing to thrash these things out. Your posts have certainly provoked a good deal of debate, but you don't have to feel bad about that.

I was under the impression that Health Anxiety is a form of OCD, and nobody with depression (as far as I know) has that - or do they?

Ah Tess, but you do help people! Myself included. I have the utmost respect, admiration and affection for you. I regard you as a friend in whom I can ( and do ) confide.

No one with an ounce of intelligence would ever accuse you of being disrespectful or of laughing at people.

Yes, we walk a tightrope when our opinions differ from others. But only a fool takes offence. What would the Forum be like were we all to agree with one another for the sake of harmony? It would disintegrate into a complete and utter shambles.

Im know I am outspoken but I try to be hones. I would never set out to hurt anyone's feelings  Nor to impose my beliefs upon anyone else. And I hope I am open  minded to differing opinions. It was interesting (well to me anyway ) to read everyone's viewpoint upon this subject. Sometimes such variances might make me see things in a different light, other times it might strengthen my own belief. But it's all good.

In this instance my mind was not changed despite careful consideration. I do not believe anxiety and depression are a combined illness. That doesn't mean to say I think I am right and others are wrong. It merely means that this is my personal concusion.based upon my own experience and those AD or Depression  sufferers whom  I know of personally.

Hugs to everyone, and I mean everyone...well, nearly everyone...lol

I'm not really sure how it all works, I do know some doctors clump health anxiety in with ocd, while others Mark is as general anxiety.

It seems like many doctors are just as confused as us about mental health, as many doctors haven't experienced it so they don't exactly know how severe it is, while some state's just generally try to ignore the whole issue because they're not trained properly.

If I could trade health anxiety for just general anxiety, I would in a heartbeat. Depression though, not so much. My best friend of 23 years hung himself in 2013 because he was severly depressed and NOBODY knew.. He played so happy. Because of that incident, I will always hold a special place in my heart for those who suffer with depression. Its just weird to think of how these imbalances effect people.

How awful.

My son's friend's father disappeared suddenly about fifteen years. He had never spoken of depression and was happy with his wife and family.

The police searched everywhere. Or at least the family THOUGHT they searched everywhere.

Two weeks after his disappearance, his wife went into the garden shed. She found her husband, who had hanged himself. It seemed, and still seems, inexplicable.

You're right. Some people with appalling depression can hide it. That is its tragedy.

Tess