What counterargument always infuriates you?

I'm in my last year of a psychology degree right now. Many people actually go into this degree because they've spent a portion of their lives depressed and now want to help others deal with it. Then there are those who have never experienced depression and it's obvious that it's much harder for them to comprehend what life is like for a depressed person. Even in the last year of the degree there are still students who in class discussions make it clear that they are subtly looking down on people with depression for not working harder to make themselves happy (because that's all they've ever had to do), who believe anti-depressants are an easy way out of something that can't be that bad (because it never has been for them). Many of them are well-meaning but being able to memorize step-by-step how to treat a depressed or anxious person only goes so far, it's been shown in studies over and over again that offering a real sense of understanding to them is incredibly important part of treatment. Their lack of personal experience is certainly not going to make them better at helping clients like you claim it would.

You can learn all the "logic" behind a phenomenon there is to learn and still not really get it until you have experienced it. A blind person can know all the science there is to know behind the colour red but when he finally sees it for himself it will completely change his understanding of it.

After seeing how this plays out I can tell you that if I ever had to see a psychologist about depression I would much rather see one who had gone through a depressive episode in their own lives and overcame it than one who had never experienced a sad day before.

/r/AskReddit Thread Parent