Did Enid ever get depressed?

[Deej]

I fully agree with you Poppy, words of sense from you once again!

No so sure, the insinuation was that people with depression aren't as capable of thinking brightly and positively, and aren't as friendly as those without depression. And because Blyton was so jolly with her writing, she must therefore not have depression. Not much of an argument is it?

[Deej]

I'm sorry Ben, but I don't buy your statement at all. I have no idea what the statistics are, possibly you do, but depression is a recognised illness and as Katharine said there is a big difference between that and feeling a bit fed up from time to time and that is something we can probably all admit to at some stage.

I would say it is highly unlikely that Enid suffered from depression and I stand by my original remark that it is pure speculation to say that she might have done.

Tony, I'm not sure of the figures, but believe me I know the difference between feeling fed up and depression. There is a significant distance.
I would also argue that it is pure speculation to say that she didn't have it.

[Deej]

I've just checked out the definition of depression on the NHS website. It says that as a general rule, a person would have symptoms, most of the day, every day for at least 2 weeks. It then lists a lot of symptoms, and concludes with three levels of depression. It says that a person with mild depression would find it has some impact on daily life, moderate depression has a significant impact on the sufferer's life, and severe depression makes it almost impossible to get through daily life. So I think it's fairly safe to say that people would have noticed if Enid had depression at either of the latter levels, and I would have thought even if she'd had mild depression it would have be noticed. She often had very tight deadlines to meet, and I don't recall hearing that she never met her obligations. That's with one exception, I believe I've read a letter in which she apologies for being behind with her work, however that was because Imogen had been seriously ill, and she'd rushed to her bedside.

The site also differentiates between grief and depression, which I has been touched upon. In which case, although Enid may have suffered from grief following her father leaving home, the death of Kenneth etc., it wouldn't be counted as depression.

Having depression doesn't necessarily hinder your ability to be productive in an education or working environment. Again, it depends on the severity of the depression and what was done about it. If she had mild depression, Blyton probably could get on with her life without anyone noticing it. It certainly is possible to hide it and no one knows for sure whether someone has depression other than the person themselves.

And also grief isn't the only cause of depression. Even someone who is leading a so-called perfect life can suffer from it. Anyone can.

[Carlotta King]

It certainly is possible to hide it and no one knows for sure whether someone has depression other than the person themselves.

That is very true.
Sometimes people who are suffering terribly and perhaps for a long period of time can hide it very well, often behind a facade of jollity, keeping busy, working hard and being the life and soul of the party. Yet when they are alone or stop working/being busy, the depression hits again.

[Katharine]

Deej, the comments I made about the effects of depression on a person's ability to produce work, were based on the information I looked up on the NHS web-site. On there it says "mild depression has some impact on your daily life". It also said "Many people continue to try to cope with their symptoms without realising they are ill. It can take a friend or family member to suggest something is wrong."

Your experience of the condition may be different.

As for me knowing more people with depression than without it, I have know way of knowing. In the same way that I don't know if they suffer from constipation, piles or all manner of other medical conditions. I'll stick my neck out here and make a wild statement. I think there are probably very few people who go through life without feeling ill at some point or other, it's part of being a human being.

[Tony Summerfield]

I would also argue that it is pure speculation to say that she didn't have it.

Surely you can't be serious. As a wouldbe journalist you must realise that this just doesn't work the other way round, what you are saying is totally illogical!

It was pure speculation in the 1950s, that because of the volume of work she produced, that Enid had a ghost writer. Under your logic you would say that it was pure speculation to say that she didn't have a ghost writer.

As I have said several times to Stephen Isabirye with some of his bizarre theories, it worries me that somebody somewhere will soon turn it into fact that Enid suffered from depression, when there isn't a scrap of evidence to say that she did.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Concerning depression figures, I would imagine that there are more people that you know of that have depression than don't have it.

In that case, depression would be the norm and not being depressed would be the illness! Or perhaps you were including people who have suffered from depression in the past, or will suffer from it at some point in the future?

[Julie2owlsdene]

It's like many things in Stephen's 'famous' book. The only person who can tell us the true facts about these speculations that keep cropping up about Enid, is Enid Blyton herself and seeing as she is no longer around to put us right on such things, then we'll really never know, so it's pointless guessing and speculating.

[Deej]

Deej, the comments I made about the effects of depression on a person's ability to produce work, were based on the information I looked up on the NHS web-site. On there it says "mild depression has some impact on your daily life". It also said "Many people continue to try to cope with their symptoms without realising they are ill. It can take a friend or family member to suggest something is wrong."

Your experience of the condition may be different.

As for me knowing more people with depression than without it, I have know way of knowing. In the same way that I don't know if they suffer from constipation, piles or all manner of other medical conditions. I'll stick my neck out here and make a wild statement. I think there are probably very few people who go through life without feeling ill at some point or other, it's part of being a human being.

Yes it does have some impact and I can feel the dark cloud in my head constantly but I just try to get on with I the best I can. I know I have depression symptoms, I know I'm slightly ill, but that won't stop me from doing what I want to do. It never will! The NHS symptoms aren't wrong but nor are they gospel, they vary from person to person.

I was reading a figure today that said 1 in 10 adults will suffer from depression at some point in their lives. That is by no means everyone but it is a high figure and means the prevalence of depression is likely. So there is a good chance that you know of someone within your family or friends who struggle. I do anyway.

[Deej]

I would also argue that it is pure speculation to say that she didn't have it.

Surely you can't be serious. As a wouldbe journalist you must realise that this just doesn't work the other way round, what you are saying is totally illogical!

It was pure speculation in the 1950s, that because of the volume of work she produced, that Enid had a ghost writer. Under your logic you would say that it was pure speculation to say that she didn't have a ghost writer.

As I have said several times to Stephen Isabirye with some of his bizarre theories, it worries me that somebody somewhere will soon turn it into fact that Enid suffered from depression, when there isn't a scrap of evidence to say that she did.

No one can know for sure, I may be totally wrong of course.

And to Steven's credit, he posts and writes what he believes in and sticks to his guns even if a lot of what he says is at times contestable, absurd and an attempt to turn opinion into fact.

[dsr]

I would also argue that it is pure speculation to say that she didn't have it.

May I politely make further speculations that Enid Blyton didn't suffer from leprosy, tuberculosis, transient arteriosclerosis, psittacosis, and Dutch elm disease? Or would it be productive to introduce new threads so these subjects can be discussed in full? After all, although there is no actual definitive evidence to suggest that Enid had myxomatosis, I haven't yet seen any evidence that she hadn't. I think we should be told.

[Daisy]

Well said dsr. I was thinking along similar lines. It reminds me of a certain type of question we had to answer in the 11+ exam. - " Dogs have 4 legs. This animal has 4 legs, therefore this animal is a dog." True or false?

[Moonraker]

Concerning depression figures, I would imagine that there are more people that you know of that have depression than don't have it.

I was reading a figure today that said 1 in 10 adults will suffer from depression at some point in their lives.

Bit of contradiction there, old thing!

[Moonraker]

It reminds me of a certain type of question we had to answer in the 11+ exam. - " Dogs have 4 legs. This animal has 4 legs, therefore this animal is a dog." True or false?

Or I breathe when I sleep, is the same as I sleep when I breathe!

[Daisy]

That's right Nigel. Some of those old logic questions sound funny to us now but I suppose they did train young minds to think carefully! - Or that was the aim anyway.