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Is it my fault for being depressed?

82 Answers
Last Updated: 06/29/2020 at 4:48am
1 Tip to Feel Better
Moderated by

Lianne Kirby, MA in Counselling Psychology


I believe everyone should have the opportunity for their voice to be heard. I use a trauma informed, person centred approach in counselling.

Top Rated Answers
September 10th, 2014 8:59pm
No, of course not. Depression comes without symptoms or a reason. You cannot blame yourself for it because it wasn't your mistake in the first place. Often times we leave our wounds untended and they grow to become awfully infected. Depression is like that, a prolonged sadness that we try to suppress only to have it growing within us.
September 29th, 2014 6:24pm
No, it's not your fault. People that suffer from depression usually have been gone trough a lot. It doesn't mean you are weak.
April 30th, 2015 12:46am
No, it is not your fault. Depression isn't something that you can really prevent from happening in the first place; it is often due to chemical imbalance in the brain, or situations beyond your control.
November 8th, 2014 12:28pm
Absolutely not. Depression is an illness like any other, albeit a unique illness that occurs in the brain. Because it occurs in brain processes that take place involuntarily, you can't control it any more than you could control a flu or an allergy.
May 13th, 2015 7:28pm
Depression is not selfish and it is never your fault. Its not a state of mind but it will also not stay forever. Try to give yourself the same respect and care you would give to a cancer patient or maybe someone who is suffering from pneumonia.
October 27th, 2014 3:33pm
not really it happens when u sub consciously focus on negative thoughts about yourself.. the secret to depression is to continuously focus on yourself. a person starts thinking about their personal issues consciously and then later he/she becomes obsessed with these thoughts and whenever they think negative thoughts go into automatic mode. it soon becomes a consistent part of their personality. depression is just a result of it.
November 4th, 2014 11:43pm
No, it is not your fault. Depression can affect anyone at any time and can make people feel like they are the ones to blame. Depression is a mental illness and can be caused by many reasons. For me it was the break down of my relationship with my father. The break down was my choice but the depression that followed wasn't my fault, it is the brains reaction to something.
September 11th, 2014 1:32pm
No, it is never your fault. Depression is a result of a chemical imbalance in your brain. Your brain doesn't produce enough serotonin, which is responsibly for creating a positive, happy thought process. Depression can affect all walks of life, and it doesn't discriminate against who it affects.
September 14th, 2014 1:25pm
Of course not! It is a sickness of the brain, not a choice or something that can be avoided. It can be triggered by certain things in your life, but you cannot choose if you have it or not :)
November 8th, 2014 12:07am
Is it they fault for people having a heart disease? No, and in your cause the answer is no aswell. Depression is a condition of the brain, it's a disease , a malfunctioning of the brain so it's not anyone's fault for that. Mental conditions are a part of us which we have no control over it, we can't create it just because we want it. So, no, it's not your fault.
September 21st, 2015 9:56am
it is never your fault, please don't ever think this , depression is a real illness just like any other and comes with its own symptoms that one can not just simply "shake off" in fact according to statistics 10%-25% of women and 5%-12% of men will be likely to suffer depression in their life. By considering that you are to blame for this illness will stop you from eliminating it keeping you in a constant state of depression. believe in yourself and take solace in the fact you are not alone , it may be stormy now but the rain wont last for ever. :)
October 18th, 2014 10:38am
No! Its just your body's chemical imbalance and you can't blame yourself for it! Its understandable that you feel like this.
October 29th, 2014 12:06pm
No, and people who tell you that don't understand what it's like to be truly depressed. It tends to be a combination of circumstance that contribute, and physical (chemical) changes. There are things you can do to help yourself get out of the depression, but they are very hard to do when you're in that place where everything feels like too much trouble to be worth it. For severe depression, a person needs help -- like counseling and medicine -- to get out of it. And none of that is magic, it's still work.
November 8th, 2014 3:55am
It's not your fault for being depressed but it'll be your fault to stay depressed. I know depression is tough but if you want to surpass depression, you can. Don't blame yourself for having depression, only blame yourself for doing nothing about it. :) I hope you'll have a good day!
September 14th, 2015 7:09pm
no its never your fault, depression is something we don't chose to have. Your depression is never and never will be your fault remember that!
November 13th, 2014 3:46pm
No, it is never our fault. Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain, and it would never be considered your fault to feel sad on days you have no idea why. The way to help your depression, though, is to talk to someone. Maybe not your mother, or your friends, or even your counselor, but someone to express emotions to. I've heard that the most helpful person is someone you don't even know. Always keep yourself on a higher state than you can possibly think.
November 15th, 2014 2:14pm
No. Depression an illness and like all other diseases it can occur to anybody. Sensitive nature, negative atmosphere, negative people around us, emotional trauma are some factors which can cause depression. Depression isn't self created. And the depressed person shouldn't be treated like it's his fault he isn't feeling ok
September 7th, 2015 6:55am
Of course not! Depression is an illness, one that affects the brain most of all. It's clearly distinguishable on scans of brain activity. You can't blame yourself for having depression any more than you would blame yourself for having any other disease.
September 15th, 2015 10:32am
It is all about how we see things.But somtimes situation becomes so worst that dealing with it is not in our hands.All a person is need is to stay calm and live in the present moment.
September 13th, 2014 10:10pm
Of course not! For even sadness, it's hard to control our emotions. Depression becomes so much deeper than that, and while it would be helpful to seek out help to overcome this, it is not your fault and it is not an easy thing to get out of. With enough time, effort, and dedication (and some support from all of us here and elsewhere), you CAN overcome~
October 2nd, 2014 2:52pm
If you think that depression is your fault (or someone else's fault), be aware that blaming yourself or others for your depression only makes you more depressed and prevents you from becoming depression-free.
October 25th, 2014 2:32pm
Yes and No. There are many factors that will make a person depressed. It maybe a an effect of a choice you made or an effect of other people's choices.
November 1st, 2014 11:03pm
Sometimes it is, yes. It's a feeling that we create inside our minds. But it's natural. Our mind is like that with everything, even with happiness.
November 6th, 2014 1:15am
Absolutely not. Depression is an illness that can strike anyone, regardless of their personnality or actions.
November 18th, 2014 4:08pm
Absolutely not. It is widely believed that depression is passed down through family. You can't pick your genes, but you can learn to live with them.
June 18th, 2015 2:52am
No, it is never your fault. Depression is caused by an event or chemical imbalances in your brain. You cannot control what happens to you or your body.
- Expert in Depression
June 23rd, 2015 2:14pm
it is not. Your mind do what it wants sometimes. They were might others that made you to this state where you are right now. But remember, it is not your fault. Not a bit.
July 27th, 2015 7:20pm
No. I know I sometimes feel guilty for being depressed, especially when I am so much better off than others. But I think that constant guilt is another part of being depressed, and is also made worse by prejudice and misunderstanding in society about depression and ilness/disability generally. One thing that can be a little helpful to me is thinking about how I would respond if someone said that about someone I love who is depressed--or who has any other experience of pain, illness, or disability. I would be outraged. Depression just is. It's our fault if we treat other people badly, but it's not our fault that we're depressed.
July 28th, 2015 8:45pm
It is never your fault! Being depressed is a natural reaction for many people. It is not your fault, nothing is wrong with you, and it is going to be okay. While sometimes things may look bleak, I can say from experience that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and there will be sun after the storm. There is no need to blame yourself, because you cannot control it, all you can do is be the best you, you can be.
August 17th, 2015 4:41pm
Depression is in no way fault of your own. Its about what we've been through to have that feeling.