Michael Beasley hospitalized for depression

[nickagneta]

There is all the difference between depression, the disease, and feeling depressed, the emotion. Making bad decisions can lead to someone feeling depressed, as in someone they love just died and they feel depressed or they made some bad decisions that lead to such bad regret that they got depressed. Again these are emotions.

Depressed emotions does not equal the clinical diagnosis of depression and I am very sorry but bad decisions do not lead to clinical depression it leads to emotional depression. These are two different things.

And with all due respect to fwf, I think your percentages are off. People can suffer from clinical depression without being bi-polar but more and more experts are theorizing that patients with multiple bouts of depression in one lifetime are probably bi-polar but because they have extended length in their recycling or are not being truthful in their manic behaviors reporting(some thinking that it is normal to feel that way) that the number is actually quite higher. With bi-polar disorder being such a new diagnosis and most people only coming forth to report their feelings when they are depressed, some in the psychological community are calling into question the actually prevalence of the disease being much more wide spread.

[nickagneta]

I happen to believe that it's more often than not that an individual makes terrible decisions that lead to chronic depression rather than the other way around.  It is not nearly as likely that he had this manic depressive disorder (whatever type it may be) before he made these other decisions which we'll all agree are boneheaded.

With all of that said, I still feel for anyone that develops this serious type of mental illness.  Suicidal thoughts are very serious and are not a joking matter.  We can say it's his own doing all we want and it may very well be true, but it's no less sad.  I hope he gets himself straight and doesn't squander away a dream job that any of us would love to have.

Sorry, RAcker, but that is completely wrong. Mental illness is the reason people make those bad decisions. When they are bi-polar, which most who have depression are, it is the highs that cause them to make dumb decisions like spending too much money, gambling beyond their means, illegal behavior, dangerous behavior. it's because when we are on those highs we feel omnipotent and think nothing can happen to us.

When depressed we take drugs, drink alcohol, try anything and everything we can to get back to that feeling of feeling omnipotent again. Unfortunately, it doesn't work and feeling or worthlessness and paranoia settle in and cause one to self medicate some more and then feelings of solitude and exhaustion kick in and you spiral downward into oblivion.

Mental illness takes away a person's ability to reason through decisions and makes everything you decide to do an impulse decision. it really is the complete and utter opposite as to what you think.

I don't think depression works in one way for all people.  If it did, it would be a heck of a lot easier to treat successfully.

The fact is, some people are just trouble-makers and losers, *before* any mental illness enters into the picture.  Just because somebody is diagnosed with depression years after their immature and illegal behavior began, doesn't mean that the depression was the root cause of all of that person's problems.

Absolutely true. Some people are just bad people and if they weren't clinically depressed they could just be making those decisions because they are bad people. I don't see anything in Beasley's past that screams out to me that he is a bad person. Also, his comments of suicide are very telling in this case. To me they signify someone with problems.

[BrickJames]

Oh no not another "depression is a disease" thread 

Can the season start already?

[dooyork]

Sorry, RAcker, but that is completely wrong. Mental illness is the reason people make those bad decisions. When they are bi-polar, which most who have depression are, it is the highs that cause them to make dumb decisions like spending too much money, gambling beyond their means, illegal behavior, dangerous behavior. it's because when we are on those highs we feel omnipotent and think nothing can happen to us.

When depressed we take drugs, drink alcohol, try anything and everything we can to get back to that feeling of feeling omnipotent again. Unfortunately, it doesn't work and feeling or worthlessness and paranoia settle in and cause one to self medicate some more and then feelings of solitude and exhaustion kick in and you spiral downward into oblivion.

Mental illness takes away a person's ability to reason through decisions and makes everything you decide to do an impulse decision. it really is the complete and utter opposite as to what you think.

TP nick, you're right, depression is not necessarily situational, and although it's possible to "get depressed about" some sad event, clinical depression is something different, it's a chemical/biological thing that has to be treated.  Of course there's some overlap, if you're biologically prone to depression some things can make you more prone, like alcohol abuse, or some events can trigger an episode of acute depression, like a crisis of some sort, but it's really two different things.  As a person who has struggled with depression, I can say that it's very hard for a person with depression to identify it in themselves.  All of us automatically tend to think that the way we feel is situational, that we feel happy because of some good thing, or bad because of some bad thing so we try to think of what the factor in our lives is that's making us depressed, and if we can't identify that thing then it doesn't make sense, and a lot of bad decisions are therefore inexplicable.  So if it's that hard for a person with depression to realize that's what the problem is, it's probably much harder for other people to identify that's what's going on with a depressed person, and so they think that person is just being an a***hole or needs to "snap out of it," or that they're just a selfish or mean person.  Not so, it just has to be recognized and dealt with over a long period of time with whatever combination of medication and therapy.  It would be easy for a lot of people to say, "this guy is 20, he's a famous, athletic millionaire living in Miami, what has he got to be depressed about?"  That's the point, it's not "about" anything, it's a medical condition.

I wish all the best for Beasley, I'm glad he is dealing with his problems at this early stage.

[RAcker]

Have I mentioned that despite having that slight disagreement with Nick that I love the guy and I certainly hope that Beasley gets himself well and is back on the court ASAP?

[Rondo_is_better]

There is all the difference between depression, the disease, and feeling depressed, the emotion. Making bad decisions can lead to someone feeling depressed, as in someone they love just died and they feel depressed or they made some bad decisions that lead to such bad regret that they got depressed. Again these are emotions.

Depressed emotions does not equal the clinical diagnosis of depression and I am very sorry but bad decisions do not lead to clinical depression it leads to emotional depression. These are two different things.

And with all due respect to fwf, I think your percentages are off. People can suffer from clinical depression without being bi-polar but more and more experts are theorizing that patients with multiple bouts of depression in one lifetime are probably bi-polar but because they have extended length in their recycling or are not being truthful in their manic behaviors reporting(some thinking that it is normal to feel that way) that the number is actually quite higher. With bi-polar disorder being such a new diagnosis and most people only coming forth to report their feelings when they are depressed, some in the psychological community are calling into question the actually prevalence of the disease being much more wide spread.

That is actually not true. I was diagnosed with clinical depression as a result of my bad decision. I took medication. This "emotional depression vs. clinical depression" distinction does not exist. There's "being sad for a while", which I think is what you are referring to when you say "emotional depression", but that's not what I had. I was clinically depressed as a result of what I did and what the consequences were.

[Jughead]

It makes me sad to read this thread (or emotional depressed, whatever clinical term you prefer).  With over 10 years logged in mental health, and no personal experience with clinical depression myself, I am truly saddened that society still deeply lacks the knowledge in the area of mental health.  The stigma still stands and despite enormous efforts from the mental health community, educating the American community continues to fall far short.  There are a number of mental health myths strewn about in this thread (albeit at least a serious discussion with honest and mature opinions being expressed).  I won't go into dispelling them, it would be an exhaustive and unsatisfying attempt.  That is an experience I know all too well.  But I rarely take the time to post anymore, and because I know what I am talking about I felt the need to voice my opinion.  The more you try to tease out behaviors, from emotions, from diagnosis...

the farther you get from the reality of anything...

[rondofan1255]

I wish him all the best. Longlasting depression is no laughing matter. 

[fairweatherfan]

Depressed emotions does not equal the clinical diagnosis of depression and I am very sorry but bad decisions do not lead to clinical depression it leads to emotional depression. These are two different things.

That is actually not true. I was diagnosed with clinical depression as a result of my bad decision. I took medication. This "emotional depression vs. clinical depression" distinction does not exist. There's "being sad for a while", which I think is what you are referring to when you say "emotional depression", but that's not what I had. I was clinically depressed as a result of what I did and what the consequences were.

You're right, Rondo - the definition of clinical depression is basically just "emotional depression that's really intense, lasts awhile, and impairs normal functioning".  The distinction between run-of-the-mill depression and clinical depression is pretty much just one of degree. 

As for choices vs genetics, everything I've read says it's basically a combo of the two.  Your genetic tendency to depression usually just makes it more likely that you'll become depressed when things go south.  For the highly depression-prone, bouts of clinical depression are pretty close to inevitable.  For most people though, being prone to depression just means when life stressors occur, they're more likely to have a depressive episode than the average person (they're also more likely to see things as negative, so there's a relationship there, too).  Even people without a natural tendency toward depression can have a clinical episode if circumstances get bad enough (or are seen as being bad enough).  You're probably in one of those last two categories - the choices you made created a situation where your tendency toward depression emerged. 

[nickagneta]

Have I mentioned that despite having that slight disagreement with Nick that I love the guy and I certainly hope that Beasley gets himself well and is back on the court ASAP?

Awwww shucks RAcker....I wuv you too!!!

[LarBrd33]

Bill Simmons warned us about this guy

[MetroGlobe]

Broussard is actually reporting that there is not a psychological condition here, and that he simply cannot put down the bong.  He claims there are multiple sources close to Beasley that pretty much denounce the whole mental illness angle of the story.  Sounds like the kid is addicted to reefer.  How that happens, I'm not quite sure.  Or maybe he's just a rebellious, immature kid who refuses to comply with the rules and he's not really "addicted" to anything.

link: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4419340
(Broussard's report is in the embedded video, not the article itself)

[nickagneta]

Broussard is actually reporting that there is not a psychological condition here, and that he simply cannot put down the bong.  He claims there are multiple sources close to Beasley that pretty much denounce the whole mental illness angle of the story.  Sounds like the kid is addicted to reefer.  How that happens, I'm not quite sure.  Or maybe he's just a rebellious, immature kid who refuses to comply with the rules and he's not really "addicted" to anything.

link: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4419340
(Broussard's report is in the embedded video, not the article itself)

Or maybe the Heat and his agent are doing everything they can to denounce the fact he has a mental illness to protect his value in future salary negotiations and trade scenarios.

Could be either, neither or both.

[Slugger]

With all due respect to people posting in this thread ( well, those who are offering their "opinions", and havent gone through clinical depression, might i suggest  (especially Nick)

Please dont let on that you know about the illness when you clearly dont.

I'm not trying to start an arguement here, i just think that these types of threads should be banned as soon as someone starts spitting out false and misleading information.

Just like the CB mods closed a Drug topic a week or so ago, i think this should too.  There are people out there who may actually be going through initial stages, and make take alot of the jibber being written as fact.

[JSD]

Great, now instead of him self-medicating himself with marijuana he'll be getting banged up on Benzodiazepines. I feel for anyone who has depression like symptoms, but the diagnosis seems a little too quick. I think the Heat have stepped in here in some capacity... Not to say Beasely doesn't need guidance or counseling but he's being hospitalized after that picture? I don't know... odd.