So, Sandtrap did a post not too long ago about chemotherapy and all that stuff, and there's nowhere near enough discussion about mental illness on Serious. So I figured I'd post a few things, most importantly this TED talk by Andrew Solomon:


And, also, this video:


Depression is something I think most people will experience at least at some point in their lives. Even if they never actually have some form of depressive illness, they'll probably catch a glimpse of what it's like through extreme grief--or something similar enough.

There are, of course, numerous forms of depression. Dysthymia, "minor" and chronic depression; Major Depressive Disorder; or a combination thereof known as "double depression", wherein people are chronically dysthymic with bouts of major depression. All of these besides the cyclical mood disorders like cyclothymia and bipolar disorder.

On a personal level, depression is both difficult to live with and difficult to treat. It often feels as if you are one of the only people capable of perceiving the world correctly, and it sucks the motivation and vitality out of your life. It doesn't so much make you sad, as make you as close to dead as a living person can be besides a coma. The thing about depression, too, is that while it's correlated with certain personality types (Mr. P can probably give a better account of this than I), it can co-exist with either egosyntonic or egodystonic illnesses. People all across the board, from psychopaths and narcissists to the anxious and borderline, can feel depression for prolonged periods of time.

And, even though on an intellectual level you're capable of understanding that help is available and that what you're feeling is ridiculous, you can't shake it. There's a deep delusional undertone to depressive thought and behaviour; fundamental and existential beliefs which are horribly mistaken, and impossible to relieve. It's an illness that truly plagues you for the rest of your life.

And, I think, that is the most important thing to take away from discussions about depression. People who are depressed are not weak, or spineless. Depression is not a problem with an individual's will, but an individual's perception. As piling weights on the back of a man will cause his back to break eventually; so too will the constricted perception of a depressive, in time, cause his will to break as a natural consequence.

I'm calling it right now Meta. I'm betting my hat. PSU's comin'. He's comin' for this thread.

I'm calling it right now Meta. I'm betting my hat. PSU's comin'. He's comin' for this thread.

"Swiggidy swoody, I'm comin' for ya moody."

And, good thread, to the point. Better than I could put it. I think we should note that depression, I think, at least, effects people in different ways. The end result at the far end of the drain is the same. But in some cases, the road there is different.

Depression isn't just a black and white affliction that has the same effect on people. Everybody reacts differently to it.

Quote from: ARSE5908 on May 01, 2015, 08:17:14 PM

Quote from: Sandtrap on May 01, 2015, 08:14:19 PM

I'm calling it right now Meta. I'm betting my hat. PSU's comin'. He's comin' for this thread.

Seriously, if you're depressed, just stop being depressed. It's not hard.

I honestly hope you're joking. Depression plagues my family on both sides. Depression is not something you can just get over it consumes you and limits your daily abilities. It kills your interests and all you want to do is hide praying that it will just go away but it won't on its own. In order to learn to cope with depression you must seek professional assistance whether it's a psychiatrist or psychologist it is best battled with both. My father was borderline catatonic for over a year. He lost his job, barely ate, and slept all day. He ended up having skin cancer on his cheek and didn't seek medical attention until the skin patch turned black and we forced my father to go to the doctor. I also had to call the police on my father twice because he was suicidal and was threatening to kill himself. In the process he almost ran me over with his car trying to avoid the police. Why did it get this bad you may ask? Well it was because he stopped taking his antidepressants that he had been taking for 15 years without telling anyone., not even his doctor. It is very possible to cope with your depression without medicine but you must see a psychologist frequently. Antidepressants and psychiatric medicine of the like provides a synthetic chemical balance but will cause your brain to decrease its production of the good chemicals such as serotonin. So let's say on a scale of 1-10 and before you take meds your natural serotonin production is a four, and once you start taking the medicine you are an eight, but after you abruptly stop taking your medicine your level will then decrease below your original production level of four, so for this example it will most likely decrease to a level two production level. Psychiatric medicines are dangerous if not properly monitored by a professional. In other words if you are finding yourself struggling with depression seek medical advice especially if you find yourself thinking suicidal thoughts. Depression is not a joke, there is a huge difference between being sad because of a bad day or week and serious depression. It is not a joke, and you should get professional help.

RC car is never serious, heads up.

My sister lives with clinical depression. She had it under control after years of therapy and figuring out the right medication, but it was really hard living with her through that. I can't even begin to comprehend the struggle, and to this day I still feel guilty about being jealous of all the attention she got when we were kids because of her illness.

Don't let your thread being locked hurt you THAT much...

I don't think you understand how much it triggered me.

I feel like we've been trough this a hundred times during my time in the flood.

Anyway, something to add or whatever, stopped taking meds for it because it killed my emotions. Back to square 1.
Oh the joy and motivation

Quote from: Kitsunekun on May 01, 2015, 08:44:40 PM

Quote from: ARSE5908 on May 01, 2015, 08:17:14 PM

Quote from: Sandtrap on May 01, 2015, 08:14:19 PM

I'm calling it right now Meta. I'm betting my hat. PSU's comin'. He's comin' for this thread.

Seriously, if you're depressed, just stop being depressed. It's not hard.

I honestly hope you're joking. Depression plagues my family on both sides. Depression is not something you can just get over it consumes you and limits your daily abilities. It kills your interests and all you want to do is hide praying that it will just go away but it won't on its own. In order to learn to cope with depression you must seek professional assistance whether it's a psychiatrist or psychologist it is best battled with both. My father was borderline catatonic for over a year. He lost his job, barely ate, and slept all day. He ended up having skin cancer on his cheek and didn't seek medical attention until the skin patch turned black and we forced my father to go to the doctor. I also had to call the police on my father twice because he was suicidal and was threatening to kill himself. In the process he almost ran me over with his car trying to avoid the police. Why did it get this bad you may ask? Well it was because he stopped taking his antidepressants that he had been taking for 15 years without telling anyone., not even his doctor. It is very possible to cope with your depression without medicine but you must see a psychologist frequently. Antidepressants and psychiatric medicine of the like provides a synthetic chemical balance but will cause your brain to decrease its production of the good chemicals such as serotonin. So let's say on a scale of 1-10 and before you take meds your natural serotonin production is a four, and once you start taking the medicine you are an eight, but after you abruptly stop taking your medicine your level will then decrease below your original production level of four, so for this example it will most likely decrease to a level two production level. Psychiatric medicines are dangerous if not properly monitored by a professional. In other words if you are finding yourself struggling with depression seek medical advice especially if you find yourself thinking suicidal thoughts. Depression is not a joke, there is a huge difference between being sad because of a bad day or week and serious depression. It is not a joke, and you should get professional help.

RC car is never serious, heads up.

Okay good 'cause there are seriously people out there who hold that demeanor.

Quote from: Kitsunekun on May 01, 2015, 08:44:40 PM

Quote from: ARSE5908 on May 01, 2015, 08:17:14 PM

Quote from: Sandtrap on May 01, 2015, 08:14:19 PM

I'm calling it right now Meta. I'm betting my hat. PSU's comin'. He's comin' for this thread.

Seriously, if you're depressed, just stop being depressed. It's not hard.

I honestly hope you're joking. Depression plagues my family on both sides. Depression is not something you can just get over it consumes you and limits your daily abilities. It kills your interests and all you want to do is hide praying that it will just go away but it won't on its own. In order to learn to cope with depression you must seek professional assistance whether it's a psychiatrist or psychologist it is best battled with both. My father was borderline catatonic for over a year. He lost his job, barely ate, and slept all day. He ended up having skin cancer on his cheek and didn't seek medical attention until the skin patch turned black and we forced my father to go to the doctor. I also had to call the police on my father twice because he was suicidal and was threatening to kill himself. In the process he almost ran me over with his car trying to avoid the police. Why did it get this bad you may ask? Well it was because he stopped taking his antidepressants that he had been taking for 15 years without telling anyone., not even his doctor. It is very possible to cope with your depression without medicine but you must see a psychologist frequently. Antidepressants and psychiatric medicine of the like provides a synthetic chemical balance but will cause your brain to decrease its production of the good chemicals such as serotonin. So let's say on a scale of 1-10 and before you take meds your natural serotonin production is a four, and once you start taking the medicine you are an eight, but after you abruptly stop taking your medicine your level will then decrease below your original production level of four, so for this example it will most likely decrease to a level two production level. Psychiatric medicines are dangerous if not properly monitored by a professional. In other words if you are finding yourself struggling with depression seek medical advice especially if you find yourself thinking suicidal thoughts. Depression is not a joke, there is a huge difference between being sad because of a bad day or week and serious depression. It is not a joke, and you should get professional help.

lol

What? I'm psychology major stfu

Quote from: Kitsunekun on May 01, 2015, 11:26:26 PM

What? I'm psychology major stfu

>taking the shit social science

should've been economics

Economics are defiantly interesting and involves social psychology which is basically how to control the masses through media which correlates with supply and demand.

Quote from: Kitsunekun on May 01, 2015, 11:26:26 PM

What? I'm psychology major stfu

>taking the shit social science

should've been economics

TALK ABOUT PSEUDOSCIENCE

Quote from: Kitsunekun on May 01, 2015, 11:25:07 PM

Quote from: Val 'Ketam on May 01, 2015, 10:02:15 PM

Quote from: Meta Cognition on May 01, 2015, 08:47:00 PM

Quote from: Kitsunekun on May 01, 2015, 08:44:40 PM

I honestly hope you're joking.

>RC

She's new, she'll figure that out in time

Thanks yeah I'm still getting used to all the personalities lol

Now you just need to get used to my dick

inb4 cheat and co try to cock block me (the legend never dies)

So sorry... I'm taken.

and high when I wrote that lmao

Ya know, since people keep perpetuating this idea that Depression is hard to overcome, the more that depressed people with struggle with it. Our society has become so ingrained with telling them that it really does make it hard, when its actually pretty simple and easy to get out of.

See though, whenever I try and explain this as to how society conditions women to believe that rape is the single worst possible thing that could ever happen to them I'm yelled at and called "offensive" or "uncaring" or  even "sociopathic" by feminists.

So, you're wrong in the eyes of social justice, and that's what matters.