SUICIDE - will it ever be tackled to its extreme?

[buffygirl]

Dan is to much of a happy chappy. Dan wont commit suicide

Depressed people don't necessarily walk around looking sad you know.

it would tell people more about the diease.

Im not having a go at you here, but depression is NOT a "disease".

That's all from me

Neither am i having a go but depression is a mental illness not a disease! there is a difference

[MarMar]

DaSilva, you're telling me that when I am too tired to get out of bed, when I'm crying non stop for several hours, when it's basically stopping me from leading a normal life, that it's not to be classified as an illness/disease?!

[John]

Some time ago I thought Noah was a prime candidate for depression and perhaps suicide. Unfortunately the writers did not go on with the storyline. It was around the time that he was accused of cheating on his university assignment and hayley cheated on him with Josh. There were several other incidents that I can't recall around the same time.

[~Lynd~]

Some time ago I thought Noah was a prime candidate for depression and perhaps suicide. Unfortunately the writers did not go on with the storyline. It was around the time that he was accused of cheating on his university assignment and hayley cheated on him with Josh. There were several other incidents that I can't recall around the same time.

Actually i think that could'vebeen really well done had they the nerve,if insted of Noah Hayley had died in the siege and he struggled to deal with it,eventually leading to suicide.

[MarMar]

Or Hayley could just have killed herself as they hinted at after Noah died, instead of dragging the paternitygate storyline out of the writer's hat.

[~Lynd~]

Yeah i thought that to,but he had to talk her out of it,didn't he?Grrr

[cupidbutterflyangel]

Im not having a go at you here, but depression is NOT a "disease".

Actually most types of mental illness are classified as a disease. This is part of the problem with mental health in Australia. By not seeing it like cancer and other diseases it doesn't get proper funding to treat and cure.

I really wouldn't like to see Home and Away tackle the issue of suicide. I don't believe the writers would do it justice. In the past eating disorders, PTSD and PND have been tackled by the writers with varying degrees of success. Maybe further down the track when new writers come on board and a shift in censorship occurs would be a good time.

[DaSilva]

DaSilva, you're telling me that when I am too tired to get out of bed, when I'm crying non stop for several hours, when it's basically stopping me from leading a normal life, that it's not to be classified as an illness/disease?!

I have actually had major depression since I was 16. Im 19 now and it probably will never fully go away. Sometimes, like you, I cant get out of bed. Ive quit uni, lost contact with friends and harmed myself in ways I wont talk about on here. I need to watch out for what I watch on TV. For example Flynns death set me off. I cant listen to bands like Linkin Park because they make me worse. I cant eat much "junk food" because that adds to my depression. I know all about the affects etc and I still say its not a disease.

Yes it is a mental illness. Yes it is a mood disorder. It is many things, but not a disease.

I just think saying its a disease adds to the stigma.

And for the record - Id love for a show like home and away to cover depression properly over a period of time.

Then maybe other people would understand what its like. I know none of my mates did and it leaves you feeling pretty isolated.

[MarMar]

What's so different with the word disease in contrast with illness? Sorry for my non-nativeness.

This is what dictionary.com says:

ill·ness Audio pronunciation of "illness" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (lns)

n.

1.

1. Poor health resulting from disease of body or mind; sickness.

2. A disease.

dis·ease Audio pronunciation of "disease" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (d-zz)

n.

1. A pathological condition of a part, organ, or system of an organism resulting from various causes, such as infection, genetic defect, or environmental stress, and characterized by an identifiable group of signs or symptoms.

2. A condition or tendency, as of society, regarded as abnormal and harmful.

As far as I can see, the text in bold is what you're referring to, although my dictionary-widget don't mention it, but make the two words equal (note, it's an American dictionary).

[Oxidizer]

Hmm interesting point about the disease thing. I guess it's a mental disease. That's all. But that's just the same as mental illness, so yeah. I don't like the idea of calling depression a disease though. Diseases you can catch (not all of them) - I doubt you can catch depression. Depression can only be triggered (by whatever events/traumas).