26 Reasons Why People With Depression Don’t Get Treatment

Estimates show that fewer than a half to a third of people with depression, in the USA, actually get treatment for it.

That is especially sad when you realize that around 70% of people with clinical depression can improve, sometimes in just a few weeks.

This equates to maybe 20 million (or more) adults who have a potentially serious mental health problem and who are doing nothing about it.

So, why don’t people go for treatment?

There are many different reasons, and this guide lists some of the more common ones.

Anosognosia

This is a fancy medical term for “lack of self-insight”. It’s similar to denial (see below), but different because this is an inability to be aware enough to recognize you are sick and need help.

Aversion To Antidepressants

Some people (myself included) will only take prescription drugs in general, and in this case, antidepressants, as a last resort.

This is sometimes because of a genuine preference for natural solution, and sometimes because the long list of potential side-effects (e.g. suicidal thoughts!) is worrying.

The good news is, you don’t always need antidepressants (I didn’t take any, for example) – sometimes therapy alone can work.

Confidentiality

Some people are concerned that confidential information (e.g. that they share with their therapist) will somehow leak out.

Control Issues

Some people don’t like giving up control of their own body and mind (e.g. to a doctor). Not surprisingly, this affects men more than women, in general.

Denial

Some people refuse to accept that they have a mental health problem at all.

Alternatively, they feel that seeking treatment for depression is an admission that they are inadequate, or a failure.

It’s different to anosognosia (see above) because when you’re in denial, you sort of deep down know something is wrong, but you will not accept it – whereas anosognosia is an inability to see the illness at all.

Distrust

This is related to the confidentiality issue listed above, but it’s subtly different because some people simply do not trust medical professionals (or maybe even anybody), perhaps because they, or somebody they know, had a bad experience with one once.

Embarrassment And Shame

Some people are genuinely embarrassed at having to discuss such issues (even with a medical professional) and/or ashamed that they have a mental health problem, even though there is, of course, no reason to. This points to the stigma (see below) that is common with such illnesses.

Fear

Some people are afraid because they don’t know what to expect.

Others, such as addicts, may fear the withdrawal effects that they know they will experience.

And others are afraid of having to talk about painful memories (e.g. childhood trauma).

Finances

Some people cannot afford it themselves, or their health insurance does not cover treatment for mental health problems such as depression.

Hopelessness

Some people feel that their depression is so bad that they are beyond help.

I’ll Snap Out Of It

This relates to one of the biggest myths about depression there is, and if you’ve ever been depressed and had somebody say this to you, then you know what I mean.

To be honest, if you are depressed, I cannot imagine you ever thinking that you will “just snap out of it” one day – but apparently some people do.

For the vast majority of cases, this is simply not how depression works.

It’s Private

Some people do not want others to find out that they are having mental health problems, for whatever reason(s).

Job Security

Some people are worried that their job may be affected (e.g. they may be let go) if it came to light they had depression.

Judgement

Some people are afraid of what others (e.g. family members, friends, colleagues, neighbours) will think once they learn about their problems.

Lack Of Knowledge

Some people do not know how or where to get help, or how to get started, even if they do want it.

Location

Some people are simply unable to get to the treatment centre from their home – either they consider it too far, or transportation (either public, or a lift from a family member or friend) is not available to them.

Nobody Cares

Some people feel that since nobody cares for them (which is usually not the case), why even bother going for treatment in the first place.

Not Necessary

Many people apparently don’t go for treatment because they do not believe it’s necessary at that time (e.g. maybe because they don’t feel their symptoms are severe enough), or because they believe they can handle it themselves without treatment.

Not Ready

Some people who abuse drugs may want treatment later, but they are not yet ready to stop using their drug(s) of choice, perhaps because they cannot consider giving up their highs right now.

Sectioning

Some people are worried that they will be committed to an institution against their will.

Severity

Some people are aware of their depression, but they don’t seek treatment because they are unsure how severe their symptoms need to be before they get help. (Since depression usually gets worse without treatment, the answer is, get help immediately.)

Stigma

There has been a lot of stigma around mental health problems for ever, it seems.

The stigma is, of course, unwarranted (for the most part, at least), largely because there are too many myths about depression and not enough people understand it.

For a long time, one of the reasons I kept quiet about how I was feeling (I hadn’t been diagnosed as depressed at that stage, but I knew something was seriously wrong) was because I didn’t want to be “just another statistic”.

The stigma factor also points to some of the other reasons listed in this guide.

Suicidal Thoughts

Those people who are seriously considering suicide (e.g. they have made plans) are less likely to seek treatment.

Time

Some people say they are too busy and don’t have enough time to go for treatment.

Unsuitability

Some people can not find the right type of treatment for their particular problem (or they don’t believe it exists).

Unhelpful

Some people do not think that treatment will help them.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a myriad of reasons why some people who need help and treatment don’t get it.

If you are depressed but not currently receiving treatment, then I would suggest you study this list carefully and see if you recognize any of them.

If you do, ask yourself if you’re really being honest with yourself about your situation, and then try to find a solution that will enable you to obtain the help you need.

In some cases, it will be a change of attitude or perspective; in others, you may need to get creative (e.g. if the issue is transportation or money related).

On the other hand, if you know somebody who is (or who you suspect is) depressed but who is not receiving treatment, then you can use this list as a guide when you talk to them, maybe to help steer them in the right direction or to let them see that perhaps they are, for example, making excuses.

Additional Resources

These are suggestions for those who wish to delve deeper into any of the above:

1. Find A Counsellor (USA Only)
2. US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)