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[OmegaSpirit32X]

This maybe will sound ignorant, but why are so many people telling the whole world that they are depressed. Everybody is sad sometimes, but so many "younger" people are almost celebrating their “crippling depression” and have to remind the whole world about it.

This is not the first generation to face challenges after WW2. There were so many things going on in the past and while people are safer, wealthier, and more secure than any generation before. People are only celebrating how hard it is. Even the pandemic is not the first bad thing that happened. I remember the time when I had to spend almost a year in fear if we did not get too much radiation because of Chernobyl. Had to stay inside during the summer, farmers were destroying their products and people were afraid. We worried about the ozone layer as well as other things and I was born during the cold war. We all had our challenges and problems.

I don’t say everything is great, but sometimes you really have to face your problems. Self-diagnosing depression may get you a lot of fake internet points and fake internet friends, but it will not help you in any way. Why are people so in love be their victim status, if it is not wealth, race, or gender it is mental health or anything else. And why are people demanding to be treated special because of it? There are rooms in colleges now, where you can hug pillows or stuffed animals if you don’t feel well or you can bring your emotional support animal to school. This is stuff Toddlers are doing, when do you grow up, when not during your college time? These were the best years of my life, I went to foreign countries, stayed two years in Japan, and did a lot of stupid and crazy things. If you are too afraid you are missing all of this.

because it's edgy. funny edge man did the funny depression joke and now they gotta replicate it every 0.1 milisecond
i doubt 90% actually suffer of depression and the ones that do use the meme to cope with it.

 

[Kamina]

We live in an "identity culture."

Depression has now evolved to be an identity to them.

This. just like mental illnesses are identities now. Very sad

 

[RoboFu]

It’s not an old concept, the worst off wins! Just now the competition is on a global scale because of social media.

 

[TaylorSwiftFan]

One thing I always wondered - how many people who say they are depressed and don’t feel like getting up to go to work or do anything are just being lazy.

 

[niilokin]

the times were good when miserable fucks made good rock and roll instead of imgur meme posts

 

[teezzy]

Mostly stems from a lack of purpose and belonging

 

[Azurro]

It goes nicely with the current mentality that no one is responsible for anything.

You are fat? Oh, it's your genes, nothing you can do about it. Don't even think about exercising, physics don't apply to you, you are fat and beautiful.

You are homeless? Oh, you must have a mental issue, I'm sure your bad life choices had nothing to do with it.

You are dumb or studied something stupid and no one wants to hire you? It's racism/sexism/whatever. Let's cry until you get that high paying job.

You haven't achieved anything in life? It's because of my depression, not because I'm lazy.

Of course, the sad part is that the people that actually do suffer from something get bunched up with these assholes.

 

[Wvrs]

For me it's something I keep to myself. My best friend knows but that's it, I don't even tell my girlfriend. Last couple of years with antidepressants I've been all-good so I just take my tablet in the morning along with a multivitamin and live my life.

But when things are rough it's easy to let your weaknesses dominate your self-image and, sadly, some people end up crafting their whole identity around it. In really bad spells I almost let it happen to me but I got my shit together.

For me it's just a shitty inherited thing that plagued my father and his mother before him, I wish I didn't have it but I treat it best as I can and live my life.

 

[nush]

One thing I always wondered - how many people who say they are depressed and don’t feel like getting up to go to work or do anything are just being lazy.

 

[GeorgPrime]

Its because all the intelligent people founded companies, invented new stuff or became millionaires instead of going into politics. Now we just have just idiots left who go into politics who dont really know what they are doing. Same goes for most teachers.

For example: The best German students end up at large corporations or became independent writers. The second best go to universities and became professors. The third best - become teachers who are taking care of educating the next generation with rules made by idiots in the politics.

 

[Kev Kev]

this thread has a mental illness: being retarded

 

[HellforLeather]

Some people think its a viable alternative to having an actual personality.

 

[evolvaer]

I don't demand anything. I am just wondering why, because the world did not get so much worse. Of course, if people are happy with it, I can accept that.

Sharing your feelings is not a bad thing, I just wonder why share them with strangers instead of friends and family. As I said, I am old, so maybe I am out of touch

I hear what you are saying, and I think there is truth in it.
On the other side however, you are saying the world did not get so much worse. But in many ways it has, because people don't have the same opportunities you did growing up.

And you are in a stage in your life where you have been alive long enough to accumulate resources to be comfortable. Those same ladders and steps have been dismantled and taken apart as you were coming up on them.

Not all opportunities are gone, but many challenges are apparent which were masked in your time because people's lives were being bettered with technology. We reached a tipping point and started to go in the opposite direction. The generations that came up after you have been part of that other downward part of the bell curve.

So you hear their woes, mention you had challenges, and look at where you are.
Its not that people are weaker now. Things have gotten worse in many ways. I can't buy a house in my 30's like you could in your 20's.
College isn't a scam just for people who want to study underwater basket weaving. College debt is real even for trade schools.

The generations before us have continually robbed their grand children of their opportunities by hoarding.

 

[AgentP]

Mental illness (self diagnosed) and depression is the latest form of intersectional victimhood. If you can't make your skin a different color and don't want to pretend to change sexes, might as well jump on the bandwagon with mental health issues.

 

[IntentionalPun]

It's all relative; if you grew up during boom times and then graduated college into a bust, that bust can be really difficult.

Vs. you growing up apparently dealing with Chernobyl, and then finding a good life.

There is a lot of annoying things about younger generations like over-consumerism while complaining about being poor and all that.. but that's really how a huge portion of kids were raised in the 90s/00s.. with parents buying everything left and right, buying houses they couldn't afford... going into major debt, spoiling their kids, etc.

Honestly can't really blame a spoiled brat for being spoiled; but we should level with the fact that it's part of the problem.

 

[Kazekage1981]

OP have you been to a VA hospital? You are mentioning WW2, but what about Vietnam War, Persian Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan war? Not to mention the harsh training and mentality that is required to do actual combat. Most of them are men with PTSD, and a fuck ton of other mental conditions along with physical ones.

I am also noticing a little bit of bias and projection towards men coming out more and being able to express their emotions and their mental health, considering they have the highest suicide (and homicide) rate. Mental health degradations can have some serious detrimental affects-especially towards men. Consider all the mass shootings that are going on in this country: Las Vegas, Colorado, etc.. all of them have been men. And NO, its not toxic masculinity. Western society doesn't know how to deal with men's mental health issues since men are speaking out more, so they slap on these stupid labels and at the same time shame them for being 'whiners'

For women in western society, the support of their mental well being far exceeds men, and todays psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, counselors feed in to their 'victim' mentality because its extremely profitable. If you are going to complain about todays society not being able to dealing with the harshness and realities of life, it should be the fascist looney feminist interventions and propaganda on how women should perceive themselves (by empowering themselves as victims).

To add additional injury to the problem, western society entertains garbage looney left wing propaganda of 'gender being a social construct', so when men/boys try to seek help from a psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor, they drug them up and treat them as defective girls.

You all need to read these books (or listen in audio format):

 

[Virt McPolygon]

It's pretty weird when people cite depression or autism as a part of their identity on a social media profile.

But really, those types of people spend waaay too much time shitposting every day.. which is just an example of how people feel stuck in life and don't have anything interesting to do or contribute. Everyone thinks they're a fuckin comedian.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

It is a new generation thing to be ultra depressed looking for pats on the back. Although who knows how much of that is genuine and how much is BS just looking for ad clicks and gofundme donations (haha, gotcha kind of thing).

Amazingly, you'd think modern young people would be most happy because they are connected the most with a million friends, fam and randoms linking to their social media accounts.

It's an endless stream on connections, chat and never being alone.

 

[Dacon]

Idfk about anyone else, but I ain't in love with it. I'd like it to kindly fuck off out of my life.

I talk about it because I need help, people say that is supposed to help but the problem appears to be chronic.

 

[Polygonal_Sprite]

Or maybe people have always suffered trauma, abuse and depression and only now (because of social media which has support from others like the group meetings of old) feel they can talk out about it.

If course there are people who ham it up or worse completely fake it for attention but that’s not really a new thing.

 

[DeepBreath87]

I find a lot of people with “depression” will sit around on their couch wondering why they don’t feel better, when one of the main reasons they’re depressed is because they’ve spent too much time sitting around. Physical activity is really important when it comes to mental well-being. If you’re feeling down, sitting around waiting for it to go away will not work.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

I find a lot of people with “depression” will sit around on their couch wondering why they don’t feel better, when one of the main reasons they’re depressed is because they’ve spent too much time sitting around. Physical activity is really important when it comes to mental well-being. If you’re feeling down, sitting around waiting for it to go away will not work.

Totally.

I'm not an active guy to begin with. Last time I was was in university. And covid lockdowns have made it worse. But you dont even need to be an active person to just chill out.

When I'm not surfing the net for games, sports and business, I'm on my fat ass for hours playing games or watching hockey or Netflix. Enough for me to get my mind off drudgery like office spreadhseets.

 

[It's all in the wrist]

Existing in and of itself isn't easy and never had been, it has just become far easier these days to diagnose your issues and fix them at your own pace. This is a good thing. I do think most people that think they have some kind of "crippling" anything need to gain some perspective, though. I'll voice my problems to people I trust, but blasting it over the internet to get support from a million people that don't know you, I have no idea how that helps.

 

[Astral Dog]

Huh, it sucks when people can so dismissive about what 'depression' is because sometimes in life nobody teaches you healthier habits. Sometimes going to a psychologist/therapist is even mocked or looked down on.

They just think you are sad or weird, but when someone is feeling awful for months/years, but is not aware what is happening, thats an awful situation to be in because people will tell you that its nothing or all in your head,i don't wish that on anyone i believe there are better ways to teach us to work with depression,sure there are people taking it too far, but at the end of the day mental health is important.

 

[nush]

or all in your head

Actually technically it is.

 

[ThatStupidLion]

it's the only way people relate to each other these days

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Huh, it sucks when people can so dismissive about what 'depression' is because sometimes in life nobody teaches you healthier habits. Sometimes going to a psychologist/therapist is even mocked or looked down on.

They just think you are sad or weird, but when someone is feeling awful for months/years, but is not aware what is happening, thats an awful situation to be in because people will tell you that its nothing or all in your head,i don't wish that on anyone i believe there are better ways to teach us to work with depression,sure there are people taking it too far, but at the end of the day mental health is important.

True.

To counter that (at least partially), everyone can check the net for ideas and advice what to do. If someone is feeling miserable, yes go see a doctor. It can be a mental state of mind thing or a biological disease issue where you actually got cancer somewhere.

But assuming we are talking more about state of mind, I dont see how seeing a psychologist for the first time can be that different than taking a first crack at advice on the net. It's not like a body issue like you got kidney stones and need an Xray from a lab to diagnose first.

If internet advice fails, then see a doctor.

Then again, its the social media world. Some people probably dont want to see a doctor because they think forums and twitter are good enough. When in reality, you need professional help and meds.

 

[tkscz]

Sense of belonging. A lot of people have depression and a way they dealt with it was to joke about it. Other people, usually younger, followed suit as a way of "joining the in crowd" of people they can relate to. It's just a natural devolution of people finding common ground that, to us outsiders, looks odd and like a romanticization of depression. The majority of them don't mean it and have a full understanding that it's not something to actually love, just a coping mechanism.

However, this explanation does NOT extend to the identity politics crowed. They simply believe any disorder is apart of what you makes you who you are. I don't agree with that, but it's what they do.

 

[Pilgrimzero]

Because the world was never connected the way it is before. Before the internet and social media etc we didnt have access to how shitty things really are.

Ignorance is bliss and before the internet and instant access to any and all knowledge and news, people were happily unaware in their little pools they dwealt in.

 

[DeepBreath87]

Because the world was never connected the way it is before. Before the internet and social media etc we didnt have access to how shitty things really are.

Ignorance is bliss and before the internet and instant access to any and all knowledge and news, people were happily unaware in their little pools they dwealt in.

That’s pretty much fucking nonsense. Things are better now for human beings, generally speaking, than they have ever been in human history. It’s not really even close. The fact that people aren’t aware of this speaks to their complete lack of perspective, rather than any knowledge of how “shitty” things are.

People used to watch their kids die all the time. They used to starve to death regularly. I know that still happens, but it used to happen everywhere. Human beings historically were far more resilient than you seem to be implying. It’s not that they didn’t know life was tough. Jesus. They knew it a hell of a lot better than most people do today.

 

[Pilgrimzero]

That’s pretty much fucking nonsense. Things are better now for human beings, generally speaking than they have ever been in human history. It’s not really even close. The fact that people aren’t aware of this speaks to their complete lack of perspective, rather than any knowledge of how “shitty” things are.

In certian areas yes, but you have things like the growing wealth gap, and other things like Climate Change and Dictatorish behavor grasping into every country (even the USA!), I can see how a lot of people would see things as dire. Dystopia here we come.

 

[DeepBreath87]

In certian areas yes, but you have things like the growing wealth gap, and other things like Climate Change and Dictatorish behavor grasping into every country (even the USA!), I can see how a lot of people would see things as dire. Dystopia here we come.

You talk like any of that is new. Dictators (from Monarchies to Warlords) were the norm for pretty much all of human history. Feudal lords. Slavery. This is all normal human stuff. Poverty has been the norm. The wealth gap isn’t some new thing. However the baseline for what is considered “poverty” sure has changed. Poor people used to starve to death. Now they’re overweight and diabetic. Climate change might be somewhat new. But in the past, when the climate changed, people starved en masse. If a drought ruined a harvest, you might not survive the winter.

Look. I’m not saying people shouldn’t be aware that life is hard. But pretending life is somehow harder today is ridiculous. It’s excuse making for having a shit outlook on life.

 

[Clear]

Bottom line: Too much internet/social media stunting socialization and emotional development.

They are disorientated and traumatized by the way that the real world is much less simple and safe than the online one. Its why so many of them are so adamant about asserting an "identity" that offers nothing but impediments to actually achieving anything of substance or longevity, and why they are trying to lobby for real-world relationships that mimic the simple form founds on social media. Hence cancelling people is treated with the same import as blocking/unfriending someone and brigading their group enemies.

These people are then fed into the psycho-pharmaceutical complex to be medicated and therapized endlessly like good little cash-cows....

Its fucked up.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Bottom line: Too much internet/social media stunting socialization and emotional development.

They are disorientated and traumatized by the way that the real world is much less simple and safe than the online one. Its why so many of them are so adamant about asserting an "identity" that offers nothing but impediments to actually achieving anything of substance or longevity, and why they are trying to lobby for real-world relationships that mimic the simple form founds on social media. Hence cancelling people is treated with the same import as blocking/unfriending someone and brigading their group enemies.

These people are then fed into the psycho-pharmaceutical complex to be medicated and therapized endlessly like good little cash-cows....

Its fucked up.

The funny thing about huge social media and the general feeling that everyone has the right to say what they want and be who they want.

Yet it's the exact opposite.

Nothing has brought out more conflict, cancel culture (as you said), and selfishness than people promoting their views on their social media account. Even oing so far as trying to dox people to get them fired.

What happened to "everyone get together as brothers and sisters and accept people's different views"?

 

[-Minsc-]

That’s pretty much fucking nonsense. Things are better now for human beings, generally speaking, than they have ever been in human history. It’s not really even close. The fact that people aren’t aware of this speaks to their complete lack of perspective, rather than any knowledge of how “shitty” things are.

People used to watch their kids die all the time. They used to starve to death regularly. I know that still happens, but it used to happen everywhere. Human beings historically were far more resilient than you seem to be implying. It’s not that they didn’t know life was tough. Jesus. They knew it a hell of a lot better than most people do today.

This makes me think of all the bodies found buried in relations to the residential schools here in Canada. I'm not going to say people being abused and neglected in the past was a good thing. I will say that in the span of history, recorded or not, this kind of thing is nothing new. We do live in a world where, more than ever, people expect things to work like an artists perfect ideal (myself included). I know I'm part of the problem. I get scared and lazy.

 

[IntentionalPun]

I was raised in the 80s; it was readily apparent most of the adults around me were incredibly depressed.. and just repressed everything.

People actually getting help these days, talking about it, etc. is not a bad thing. Nor was there some magical non-depressed generation before this.

 

[CloudNull]

Bottom line: Too much internet/social media stunting socialization and emotional development.

They are disorientated and traumatized by the way that the real world is much less simple and safe than the online one. Its why so many of them are so adamant about asserting an "identity" that offers nothing but impediments to actually achieving anything of substance or longevity, and why they are trying to lobby for real-world relationships that mimic the simple form founds on social media. Hence cancelling people is treated with the same import as blocking/unfriending someone and brigading their group enemies.

These people are then fed into the psycho-pharmaceutical complex to be medicated and therapized endlessly like good little cash-cows....

Its fucked up.

Fantastic post.

We as a society are going through some massive growing pains. Social media has been around for over 10 years but only now are we seeing the results of people who grew up with it.

Most people grow up with no skills that can transfer to the real world so they choose to live online. This creates a fear of missing out so they don’t know how to break the habit.

I think many physiologist will look back at this time and study it in depth.

 

[Halo is Back]

We live in an "identity culture."

Depression has now evolved to be an identity to them.

No one who has suffered from clinical depression, would even remotely want that as part of their identity. I do think there are people who use this term and others without actually understanding what they mean and use it for social media attention. I would like people to understand the distinct behavior of someone suffering from such issues.

 

[DeepEnigma]

No one who has suffered from clinical depression, would even remotely want that as part of their identity. I do think there are people who use this term and others without actually understanding what they mean and use it for social media attention. I would like people to understand the distinct behavior of someone suffering from such issues.

A lot of it is boredom and lack on inspiration as well.

 

[CloudNull]

No one who has suffered from clinical depression, would even remotely want that as part of their identity. I do think there are people who use this term and others without actually understanding what they mean and use it for social media attention. I would like people to understand the distinct behavior of someone suffering from such issues.

There is a massive divide between clinical depression that needs non stop medical help and depression for the moment. Some people are built different and their brain doesn’t release the chemicals necessary. Some people are depressed because of life and create feedback loops that reinforce their depression. The second form of depression is the majority and this can be broken by life changes and new habits.

Sadly both forms of depression always get lumped into the same category.

 

[Halo is Back]

There is a massive divide between clinical depression that needs non stop medical help and depression for the moment. Some people are built different and their brain doesn’t release the chemicals necessary. Some people are depressed because of life and create feedback loops that reinforce their depression. The second form of depression is the majority and this can be broken by life changes and new habits.

Sadly both forms of depression always get lumped into the same category.

I'm not sure what you mean by depression for the moment. To diagnose someone with clinical depression one must have several symptoms of the disorder to persist for at least 2 weeks, more days than not. This type typically lasts for a month or more. There is also chronic low-grade depression that can last for years. The thing about clinical depression is that it usually comes back. Kinda like if you had cancer, now your chances of getting cancer are higher in the future.

Maybe you mean when people say "I feel depressed" as that is more of an acute feeling.

 

[CloudNull]

I'm not sure what you mean by depression for the moment. To diagnose someone with clinical depression one must have several symptoms of the disorder to persist for at least 2 weeks, more days than not. This type typically lasts for a month or more. There is also chronic low-grade depression that can last for years. The thing about clinical depression is that it usually comes back. Kinda like if you had cancer, now your chances of getting cancer are higher in the future.

Maybe you mean when people say "I feel depressed" as that is more of an acute feeling.

Not sure on the exact terms but just saying there is depression that can happen from trauma or life that takes time and work to get over and some people that are depressed no matter what they do. The latter is a much smaller group that many depressed people think they fall into but they do not.

 

[M1chl]

So many "tough guy" hot takes, in this....ITT.

Depression fucking sucks, so does anxiety. I wrote about it a lot on this page. Just because there are attention seeking whores out there, does not mean that they are not people suffering from mental illness, quite the contrary. However the issue, that the voices which actually needs attention are silenced in screaming of entitled retards.

And I also believe that those who are suffering from it, don't really talk about it. Hell I was always "ok", then I ended up in 5 minutes to 12 type of situation, almost died and only after that I was able to open up. Shit like "be a man" is fucking toxic. I am not saying that you should seek belittlement, pity or something like from twitter. No not at all, however people should at least keep their insecure bullshit to themselves and not poisoning mind of others. This is big time issue in parenting.

My 2 cents.

 

[bender]

You don't choose to be depressed or not, but I do think you can get addicted to it.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

So many "tough guy" hot takes, in this....ITT.

Depression fucking sucks, so does anxiety. I wrote about it a lot on this page. Just because there are attention seeking whores out there, does not mean that they are not people suffering from mental illness, quite the contrary. However the issue, that the voices which actually needs attention are silenced in screaming of entitled retards.

And I also believe that those who are suffering from it, don't really talk about it. Hell I was always "ok", then I ended up in 5 minutes to 12 type of situation, almost died and only after that I was able to open up. Shit like "be a man" is fucking toxic. I am not saying that you should seek belittlement, pity or something like from twitter. No not at all, however people should at least keep their insecure bullshit to themselves and not poisoning mind of others. This is big time issue in parenting.

My 2 cents.

The reason why you get push back and people thinking "tough guy" is because the loudest Twitter users that get the most attention, retweets, from celebs/athletes etc.... seem to be attention whores trying to cash in on click revenue, sub count and whatever other self serving promotion.

I don't think many people will denounce someone on a forum or Twitter genuinely talking about depression, but when you got hot takes (as you call it) from people saying dumb shit on Twitter, people take that as the face of attention seekers.

In the Meta GAF thread, there was a guy who posted to mods cancel his account if nobody heres from him because he might be die. Everyone was giving him props hoping he's okay and he is. Thats because not only was it a serious issue, but he wasnt going on GAF or Twitter being antagonistic at the world or looking for last minute subs.

The general sentiment of internet communication is give and take/back and forth. Show respect and you get respect back.

Also to be fair and playing Devils Advocate, the modern age is "everyone has a view". So if some people are fighting back, it is their right to give their view too. Cant cherry pick your way only.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

The second form of depression is the majority and this can be broken by life changes and new habits.

100% agree.

I bet the typical person in this kind of depression fits something like this:

- broke
- half crappy job or unemployed
- anti-social in some form

As opposed to someone:

- has money, nice home and family
- decent job
- good friends and fam

What probably happens is they see all the great stuff people have on the net or what friends post on FB and compare themselves to other people only posting the good stuff on news feeds. So they feel like crap everyone else is blowing by them.

I have no proof of that sentiment, but I believe it. Best way to cut down on misery IMO is cut down on social media. Most people (including news sites) focus on bad news or click bait conflict topics. Ignore it if you cant take it.

 

[LMJ]

Hard times make strong men.

Strong men make good times.

Good times make weak men

Weak men make hard times.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Most people (including news sites) focus on bad news or click bait conflict topics. Ignore it if you cant take it.

This, 24/7 news channels are thrash. Don’t listen to it, interact with quality content, cut down or eliminate social media completely.
It annoys me to no end LinkedIn is becoming more like Facebook now, with people posting random shit or their life stories.

 

[GoldenEye Samurai]

I’ve actually been clinically depressed and have been going to a psychiatrist since 2007, so I have a case for my depression. But I am happy to say I’m not like that anymore. I get bummed out sometimes, but it’s not full-on depression like it was all those years ago. It kinda grinds my gears when people claim to be depressed when they most likely have no idea what a clinical depression is really like. It ruined my life for years, so I am kinda biased.

 

[dr_octagon]