Why is depression a mental illness?

[K.I.L.E.R]

It's genetic thing right?
I've never been depressed, I'm always gay (not that way ) so the probability of me being depressed is extremely low.

 

[Neeyik]

There are different "classes" of depression - the most common being clinical depression. It's an illness because can be treated via medication; serotonin boosters for example. CD is certainly not genetic though.

 

[Sonic]

As per my understanding it is a chemical imbalance in the brain blah blah blah.

Sometimes I wonder if most cases of depression are merely a psychological effect and not entirely physical. Going even further with that when I was younger and didn't leave the house for weeks on end (playing video games, what else?) my mom took me to a psychologist and a psychiatrist. I went to like 10 sessions total and I was diagnosed with depression. I was given some meds to take and that was that. I had no choice in the matter, I was depressed. That made me mad that a label was put on me, I didn't feel sad in any way. I just never went out during that summer because it was time to play some games. My friends always came over and played with me, I don't see what the big deal was.

But I ended up not taking any of the meds because it would interfere with my Ritalin I took for ADHD.

 

[sytaylor]

Physchological thoughts/feelings are purley physical, if not chemicals would not be able to alter your mood. The implications of that are quite profound but very few seem to think the chemicals in your brain count for much.