SHORT ANSWER
Depression is a health condition, not weakness of character or a lack of willpower. It can affect people of any character, status and level of responsibility, and "pulling yourself together" usually does not help.
Why is that?
The "weakness of character" idea comes from the fact that depression is hard to see from the outside: the person looks the same as when well, while inside they experience lasting low mood and loss of interest. In reality, depression involves changes in brain systems that regulate mood, stress response and motivation — similar to how diabetes disrupts blood-sugar regulation: it cannot be fixed by willpower alone.
Risk for depression comes from a combination of factors: genetic predisposition, chronic stress, past illness, certain medicines and life circumstances. That is why it affects people of all ages, professions and social groups — according to WHO, it is one of the most common disorders in the world.
The danger of the myth is not only that it is wrong: self-blame ("I am to blame, I am weak") delays help-seeking, and the longer a person waits, the more severe the condition usually becomes and the harder treatment gets.
WHAT TO DO
- If low mood, loss of interest or sleep problems last for weeks — discuss this with a specialist (psychiatrist, psychotherapist or primary care doctor).
- Treat yourself the way you would treat a close person: if they had depression, you would not blame them for "weakness".
- Remember: seeking help is an action, not an admission of weakness.