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Ask HN: How can I help people defeat depression?

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Re: Ask HN: How can I help people defeat depression?

#31

Post by greyostrich »

newpossible wrote: post #29
greyostrich wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right now I'm just re-studying CS (history, OS, networks, databases, algorithms, etc.). Hopefully it helps, and it reminds me why I like CS. A lack of job means living with my parents, having no ownership, being treated like a child, no future, etc. I did have a contract before, but it was terribly underpaid and career killing, since no one wants to invest into you. I currently have another interview scheduled for a…

Could you provide some way to contact you in your profile? Email etc? I think someone would like to talk with you about your skills / possible gigs (I would contact you over the next days for sure). Also: perhaps put a list of your skills in your profile, together with a 'looking for job/contract'.

I updated my profile. I never realized the email field was private.

Re: Ask HN: How can I help people defeat depression?

#32

Post by wikibob »

jerryr wrote: post #12
espeed wrote: post #8

Get them active outdoors (high-intensity exercise creates BDNF [1], which is like miracle-grow for the brain [2]), get them writing (provides an outlet for trapped thoughts cycling around in their head), get them to make something (among other things, it shifts their focus from the past to a future they are actively involved in shaping) [3], and get them physically involved with helping others who are less fortunate…

For a "get them writing" idea, I'd personally love a secure, cross-platform (including different mobile and desktop platforms, though I'd be happy with iOS/Mac OS for starters), journaling app that syncs without using a service that's proprietary to the app. I like Day One ( http://dayoneapp.com ), but hate that it's not properly encrypted and that it uses their proprietary service. What I think I want is the functio…

I agree. DayOne is terrific, but I am really not happy to have the NSA vacuuming up my entries.

Where do you see that the latest version added encryption? The most recent info I've seen is the blog entries from May 2016 http://dayoneapp.com/2016/05/end-to-end-encryption-for-day-o...

and August 2016 http://dayoneapp.com/2016/08/encryption-update/

Re: Ask HN: How can I help people defeat depression?

#33

Post by milankragujevic »

contingencies wrote: post #14
tyre wrote: post #10

Can help: Medication (SSRIs, SSNRIs), therapy, meditation, exercise, close relationships Can hurt: lack of sleep, alcohol, stress, traumatic/emotional events

Drugs have a very dark side and can definitely hurt, I would not think it's a balanced, modern, medical perspective recommend these without serious consideration!

Can confirm, after gaining 30 KG in a year from medications, BUT it's worse off of them. Not having money in the family, not having for basic things that my peers have, not being able to find work... I feel trapped in my situation and everybody says wait till you're 18 (17 since January), but every day is torture and like a year to me, waiting a year AND then trying to find a job is painful. And not to mention I'm not even going to school because of extensive social anxiety that prevents me from leaving my house and even interacting with people in the house. I used to find comfort in technology but even that is passing and I find myself not being satisfied by anything. Note, I am visiting a psychiatrist and a psychologist and but the situation in my family is bad and ... Sorry for venting here, but HN is my only "social" life.

Re: Ask HN: How can I help people defeat depression?

#34

Post by milankragujevic »

I think that people aren't depressed by a chemical imbalance but instead that is the result of their situation. And I think helping people by improving their quality of life might help them feel better. That's my case, but there might be people who have everything yet feel empty, in that case love, family, support and medications can help. Just don't be afraid to ask for different meds if the side effects you don't like, like for example gaining weight or twitching or nystagmus or something like that (i had all 3 and more)...

Re: Ask HN: How can I help people defeat depression?

#35

Post by whack »

Some great suggestions in the top comment. Also try talking through the causes of the depression and what they can do to resolve it or improve on it. I once had a friend who was depressed and considering taking medication to treat it. We talked for a little while and it turned out that she had an abusive father while growing up, and her depression had started ever since she moved back home with her parents. She is now in the process of moving out and putting more distance between her and her father.

Depression is often like physical pain. Sometimes it's worth treating in and of itself, other times, it's your body/mind's way of telling you that there's something wrong, and that you need to go fix it. In such cases, you always want to make sure that you're treating the cause, and not the symptoms.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/magazine/28depression-t...

Re: Ask HN: How can I help people defeat depression?

#36

Post by nadu »

I feel the most important effort is to take the time to be around them and listen to them when they want to talk and not push them when they don't want to. Having seen a close friend go through depression, one of the biggest lessons I learnt was to when to keep shut and not push, but then sometimes - you have to take a call to push them to open up. When I say push - I mean asking them to "try out different things to get out of depression”. You have to tread those waters a bit carefully. Because if they start something and can't continue then it is another reason for them to feel depressed - and generalize that "I am not that good at all". I did a lot of mistakes like pushing them to get into routines, exercise and other out of comfort zone things - at the wrong times. And the cardinal mistake of “oh-try-a-bit-harder” expression and body language. Those are things that you need to avoid.

It did take a couple of other friends also - to whom my friend opened up to.

Re: Ask HN: How can I help people defeat depression?

#38

Post by mrmaximus »

You specifically asked how you could use your technology skills to help people.

First though, there are two kinds (at least) of depression. One is the normal kind where you feel blue when things go wrong in life. This is normal and it should fade. There is another kind related to an incorrectly functioning brain. For this medication is needed to help correct that problem.

When a malfunctioning brain combines with things not going your way in life... you get a high probability of a downward spiral and suicide. It's a terrible self-feeding cycle.

Back to technology: Having a sense of meaning and purpose is quite possibly the most important component to a healthy human experience. When you are completely down in the dumps, just going down to a local soup kitchen and offering to volunteer for a day can recharge you and spark understanding of the human condition.

What you can do with technology is endless. For instance, I have never encountered an app or site where I enter a zip code and see everywhere I can go and help other people that day, right then and there. If such an app or site could list close by "AA" style depression sufferers meetings I could drop into anonymously on my way to they metaphorical "soup kitchen"; that would be even better.

You won't ever understand depression through tech, but understanding it through the human side will allow to you to envision how to use your tech skills to help.

Re: Ask HN: How can I help people defeat depression?

#39

Post by mrmaximus »

mrmaximus wrote: post #38

You specifically asked how you could use your technology skills to help people. First though, there are two kinds (at least) of depression. One is the normal kind where you feel blue when things go wrong in life. This is normal and it should fade. There is another kind related to an incorrectly functioning brain. For this medication is needed to help correct that problem. When a malfunctioning brain combines with thi…

And I forgot to add above: I am sorry for the loss of your friend. When a friend dies in a freak accident, there is at least the comfort that you probably could have done nothing. When someone commits suicide your mind turns endlessly looking for sign and signals you missed and you always wonder. I hope you find peace.

Re: Ask HN: How can I help people defeat depression?

#40

Post by mthoms »

zeroToAction wrote: post #13

I too had someone very close lose a battle with depression. I've been working on ideas on my own to try and come up with something useful. This is my most recent attempt: http://www.zerotoaction.com I'd love to team up or discuss ideas with you and anyone interested. It's a topic that's very important to me. This is my first post/comment, please forgive me if I broke protocol in any way. Critiques and suggestions are…

Thanks for sharing your project. It looks interesting. Be sure to let us know when you formally launch with a "Show HN" post.
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