Commentary from November 29, 2013
This is me and some of what I have had to deal with recently. Looking at this now it looks rushed and I didn’t think through and refine the ideas as much as I’d like, but I just had to get it out there. I’ll have to refine the ideas down the road but for now, recovery from depression is not something totally under the suffer’s control, and pressuring one to recover isn’t going to help at all.
Ain’t THAT the truth!
Oh so true. Especially dispiriting among the ones who supposedly are wishing you the best are the cheer forcers, who bother themselves trying to cheer you up, until both of you get exhausted and frustrated
Therapy hasn’t helped me in the slightest. My therapist wouldn’t understand how bad I am and that I, unlike others, require medication. I am still unmedicated and suffering greatly.
I almost lost my one good friend because I was like this, she said she felt as though she couldn’t help me. Really though, just being there was enough for me. P.S. nice touch on the computer logo there.
The second panel is totally my dad.
Yes, tell me again how exercise and getting out in the sun (gotta get that vitamin D!) is going to make my lifelong condition evaporate…
Depression and other mental illnesses can be explained by biological science. Why do you think you have depression? If you’re religious you might think it was God’s will but if you’re not, then you’ll know it can (or will eventually) be explained by science, and when we know why it happens we’ll consequently (possibly) know how to fix it. Exercise and getting the right nutrients can definitely help the body in EVERY WAY, physically and mentally.. it’s just science. Whether or not it cures your problems depends on the individual and what the problems are, but it will certainly help.
I agree with you but when your so deep under, getting the energy and effort to get dressed to go outside let alone the running it self. Its hard. Fighting your mind thats telling you its pointless, it wont help, your the exception ect. Ect.
Its a catch 22.
If it was as easy as you say, I would have beaten this a long time ago.
And it doesnt help when every other person who knows your depressed is giving this advice over and over like you dont already know.
I agree with this. I KNOW that medicine helps me, but I don’t take it like I should, so it’s not effective. Why don’t I take it? I don’t know. Why don’t I do ANY of the things I’m supposed to do? I don’t think about it when I’m near the medicine, no motivation, no energy, procrastination, etc. I tried to explain this to my mom the other day, but did a really poor job. I said that it would be like, if you needed medicine to go up the stairs… but you have to go up the stairs to get to the medicine… how do you do that? She just looked at me like I was crazy. But seriously… if the depression/ADD meds are to help me w/memory, planning, energy, executive brain function, etc, how do I remember and plan to take the medicine that is supposed to help me do all that stuff?
I live a nearly 100% internal life. Thinking, thinking, thinking, but never doing, doing, doing. It’s Saturday night, and I’ve spent the last 12 hours on my couch, on the internet, rather than doing the laundry, cleaning, living, etc, as I should have. 🙁
“Certainly” is too strong a word, and there is no study that shows that exercise and eating habits help in 100% of depression cases. “Possibly” is a much more accurate word.
At the risk of being one of those background voices in the comic:
Have you tried seeing a different therapist? Maybe a different
therapist will be more understanding about what you’ve already
figured out works for you (and what doesn’t).
second panel would be my dad, except he asked me that 6 whole months after i started counselling and medication. apparently he doesn’t understand the meaning of the word “chronic”.
Yeah.
Wow, the second panel. Shows how stupid most people really are when it comes to depression. If I knew ANYONE that was on anti-depressants for 5 years, I’d give them a pat on the back for sticking with it that long!
I actually know a lot of people who have been on anti-depressants for 5+ years… A lot of people.
What I can’t stand is when people say “just be positive” like it’s that fucking simple.
I’ve been called pathetic and said I was pitying myself and told if I wanted to be happy I would have “delt with my shit” by now by someone who was no longer my friend after this.
Truth. My father is like this. He will never understand. I have lost many so called friends over it too. If I even showed these comics to them, I doubt they’d get it either.
hey, folks! i was depressed for 34 years and on all kinds of meds that didn’t work or had severe side effects! i finally found a treatment called TMS and my last treatment was 12/2/13! i figured up the days that i cried and sobbed from 8/1/13 to 12/2/13 and this is how it looked: from 8/1/13 (when i kept up) to 9/26/13 i sobbed for 21 days out of 61 days: then from 10/9/13 to 12/13/13 only 6 days out of 110 days!!! AMAZING!! the TMS is transcranial magnetic stimulation….research it and consider it! I feel totally different and doing things and enjoying things that I have not in 34 years! May God be with you that suffer depression….I totally understand and care.
Isn’t that stuff really expensive? I’ve heard it works well but…
My life.. Everyday.
I just found these via my best friend. My husband suffers from major depression. . It is hard to smile and remember they mean well when these are said to him/us. You have captured so much of what we go trough. I will be showing him these when he gets home tonight.
It’s also scientifically documented that depression can IMMOBILIZE you. How am I supposed to exercise and eat right when I can’t get out of bed and don’t want to eat anything at all? You’re very clearly not someone who understands this disease.
I don’t know why this comment didn’t show up as a reply to AAH, as it was supposed to.
the sad thing is that i’ve had multiple therapists tell me things like this…
especially the “if you not willing to try everything how do you expect to recover?”
This one struck a strong chord w/ me, but ironically, it was for my psoriasis, not my depression. I’ve had people stop me in the supermarket and (literally!) chase me through malls/department stores trying to offer me advice or creams or whatever. And like depression, it stems from misunderstanding – it’s not just a little dry skin, it’s a deficiency in my immune system, and all the lotions n’ potions in the world won’t make it go away. What can I say – I hit the genetic lottery. (-_-)
157 http://t.co/OBRwIjr7eJ via @depressioncomix
Sometimes, I thank god almighty that I’m able to feel anger. Smartasses who know everything about depression yet they’ve never experienced it are just one of a many-a-good-reason to get angry. I know it’s bad for blood pressure but to hells with it, I’d rather be angry than crying for hours.
that’s how it got so bad in the first place… parents aren’t always the best help. telling people to get out of bed won’t fix them.
making depressed people feel guilty for not doing something productive rather than being happy they’re doing anything at all won’t help them get better.
/sigh