Is depression a disability? I believe it is. Any condition either a physical or mental one that prevents a person from doing normal day to day tasks is a disability in my eyes.
What is a disability? It is a physical or mental condition that limits a person’s movements, senses, or activities.
There are various forms of depression;
- Major depression, also known as clinical depression
- Manic Depression (now known as Bipolar Disorder)
- Post Partum Depression
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Anxiety Depression
- Atypical Depression
- Double Depression
- Endogenous Depression
- Situational Depression or Reactive Depression
- Agitated Depression (Agitated depression exposed)
- Psychotic Melancholic Depression
- Catatonic Depression
Each form of depression brings with it its own unique symptoms and complications. Is depression a disability? Yes in the sense that it does prevent you from living a normal life.
If your mental illness affects your ability to carry out day-to-day activities then you are likely to be covered by the Disability Discrimination Act.
While I have bipolar I do not think about myself as having a disability yet it does disable me. Some days, week’s even months I can see signs of improvement, until bang the depression takes you falling back down to the ground again with one almighty thud. This is the time when it affects me the most. I can no longer do all the things I would normally take for granted.
Just because a mental illness is not visible to the eye does not mean it is no more disabling than losing a limb. You cannot witness the damage inside someone’s head, which is where the controversial argument about is depression a disability arises from.
The word depression covers such a broad term used to describe feelings and thoughts and every sufferer experiences different symptoms. There is no size fits all with this mental illness.
There is no way in a depressed mood would I be able to get up with the alarm clock and go off to work for an 8 hour shift. It would be impossible. I do not enjoy any activities or socialising when in a depressed state. I become agitated and slightly aggressive and anxiety causes me to react and behave in inappropriate ways. While I am not a danger to others, when stressed I am to myself.
I am exhausted both emotionally and physically, I do not eat and I personally hear voices when I become overtired. (Read what is it like to hear voices). My concentration is poor, negative thoughts invade my life and suicidle thoughts become a regular thinking pattern. This is when depression becomes a disability.
While depression can be managed and lived with, there are times when it causes great changed in your life and does cause you to become disabled in a sense.
What are your own views; is depression a disability?
