Peaches Geldoff Has Died

[hc4361]

Only 25, very sad news.

[sp1814]

At this stage, without a suicide note, and with the police ruling out drugs - it is entirely possible that this could be a case of sudden adult death syndrome. A recognised (although rare) condition.

Regarding depression - in my opinion, we sometimes get depression mixed up with feeling down or mirserable.

I work with a bloke who told me recently that he'd been diagnosed with depression and honestly, if you met him you'd be as surprised as I was. Never in a million years would I have said he was depressed - because he successfully internalised it.

When people are feeling down/moody/miserable, they don't tend to internalise it...we get to hear about it.

[andy-hughes]

sp1814 - one of the aspects of this dreadful condition that I hate is it's name 'Depression'.

I have said before that people confuse Depression with 'being depresed' and they are light years apart.

Being depressed is part of the human condition - perfectly natural and nromal. Depression is an often fatal mental illness that can last a lifetime for some, and it can be so bad that death really is a preferabe alternative.

i would love to see Depression re-named, and for the new name to have the resonance and impact that the word Cancer has - because it is right up there in terms of seriousness, life-threat, and need for understanding.

[jno]

andy, I think calling it "clinical depression" makes the distinction fairly well

[andy-hughes]

jno - it does, but that tends to get shortened, and lots of people still refer to people 'suffering with their nerves ...' which tells no-one anything at all.

[wolf63]

I was diagnosed with Manic Depression in 1997 and people would have no idea what the illness really entailed. These days I am Bipolar, not the type that celebs get and seem to recover from quickly. When I die and go to hell it will be a way better life for me.

Can I say the last bit as an atheist?

[jno]

I imagine heaven would be hell for atheists, as it would prove they'd been wrong all their lives, and now they've got to put up with angels sitting on clouds playing harps all day long and singing "Holy holy holy".

[andy-hughes]

jno - speaking as an atheist, I know what hell is - like jean-paul Sartre said - 'Hell is other people.'.

[jno]

ah, then you must be a humanist, andy!

wolf, please pardon my ignorance, but I thought bipolar was the same as manic depression, though perhaps a more modern term? What's the distinction?

[wolf63]

jno ~ same thing but a different label. I think that it was changed to separate it from the word Depression/depression which is often used to describe being hacked off, bad day etc.

[Zeuhl]

Manic Depression was relabelled Bi-Polar to distinguish it from the condition caused to music lovers when they listened to the Manic Street Preachers

[EcclesCake]

There is a peculiar trait in many people that because they have heard of, read about and/or know someone with a condition they are an expert on it. Thinking you have empathy and understanding is very different to actually knowing what it is like to live with whatever the condition may be.

[andy-hughes]

Ecclescake - not sure to whom your post refers - if anyone - care to elaborate?

[jno]

thanks, wolf, and - to a certain extent - Zeuhl.

[EcclesCake]

Andy it was a general view about peoples perception of conditions such as depression and other hidden conditions; so many people think they know what it is like but they do not have a clue.

[anneasquith]

as this thread appears to have gone astray.......................depression. suicide is not a choice. it is at that particular moment the only option the person believes they have.

[andy-hughes]

EcclesCake - "Andy it was a general view about peoples perception of conditions such as depression and other hidden conditions; so many people think they know what it is like but they do not have a clue."

Thanks for clarifying - I entirely endorse your sentiments - association by proxy is a curse of modern society on so many levels.

I have always viewed crying as something extremely valuable and healing - even more so for people who find it difficult to do - and then it becomes totally devalued by every numpty on every reality show prattling on about their 'journey', and dabbing at their eyes as though they have absorbent fingertips!

Pah!

[DTCwordfan]

a very good point/logic that you laid out there, andy, and you are absolutely right, some can completely mask their feelings, others not. Presume that nothing more has yet come to light as to the cause.

Thanks for that contribution though....

[andres]

The last picture of Peaches posted on one of the social media sites showed her with her two dogs.I have always thought that she was putting a brave face on at times but I have never seen her with such a haunted ,sad look . I think she was a very troubled young woman.

[Bathsheba]

....don't know what made me come on here after so long, but am so glad I did, just to read andy-hughes' wonderfully erudite description of depression. Thank you Andy.

[emmie]

i concur, the tearjerking contestants on these talent shows is the main reason i don't watch. Depression has been devalued as a term,
i go along with Wolf, struggled with same for so very long.