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What to Do When a Loved One Is Severely Depressed

nytimes.com

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Re: What to Do When a Loved One Is Severely Depressed

#31

Post by Someone1234 »

spdustin wrote: post #9

I feel like this should be left here: Everybody you meet has a secret smile, and a secret pain. If your secret pain feels like a weight you can no longer carry, please talk to someone. Anyone. Lay down your burdens, and give your shoulders a rest. If you're in the US, there's the National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 LGBT folks in the US might also consider The Trevor Project Lifeline: 1-866-488-7386 I…

If you're in the US, you may also wish to think twice before calling the cops on a loved one, particularly if they're only a danger to themselves (and not you or others). Police in the US rarely receive training[0] in dealing with suicidal individuals, and are instead trained to escalate the situation and or use violence for a resolution[1].

There are numerous examples of the police turning up on a suicide call and killing the individual, even when unarmed[2][3]. They simply aren't qualified to deal with suicidal individuals and should only be used when other's safety is at stake.

[0] http://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/375040-police-need-mor...

[1] https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/12/police-...

[2] https://www.thedailybeast.com/unarmed-teen-killed-by-police-...

[3] https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/11/02/santa-clara-da-clears...

Re: What to Do When a Loved One Is Severely Depressed

#32

Post by mhkl »

What I did is watch the 8 hour docuseries at www.brokenbrain.com and learn from 50 doctors what the various causes are and how to treat these caused. It did help me a lot to understand depression but my depressed son does not want to watch the docuseries. Sigh.

Re: What to Do When a Loved One Is Severely Depressed

#33

Post by soared »

rjpr wrote: post #27
soared wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are part of the problem - you're making it seem like some evil doctors tie you down. The reality is if you bring yourself to a hospital you just request to leave and . Doctors have the ability to petition the courts to keep you there. It goes to a US Court, not some evil medical doctor's back office. http://www.disabilityrightsohio.org/when-person-wants-releas... Even if you're forced to go a mental facility by f…

Did you read this at all? > If you have admitted yourself into a psychiatric hospital, you can not simply sign yourself out and leave when you decide to do so. There is a process which must be followed in order to leave.

That aligns with my previous comment. There is a fast legal process, not some arcane movie-like entrapment like your comment implied.

Re: What to Do When a Loved One Is Severely Depressed

#34

Post by Alex3917 »

caio1982 wrote: post #5

"Remember, people do recover from depression" That IMHO seems to be as much of a taboo as having depression itself for a lot of people... it's hard to convince someone that depression is seriously real, and equally hard to convince people [affected by their loving one's] depression is not like terminal cancer.

The research seems to show that most people who don't take SSRIs recover from a bout of depression in about two years. If you take SSRIs then you partially recover after a few weeks, but the underlying problem doesn't resolve.

https://smile.amazon.com/Anatomy-Epidemic-Bullets-Psychiatri...

Re: What to Do When a Loved One Is Severely Depressed

#35

Post by idbehold »

RobertDeNiro wrote: post #26
spdustin wrote: post #9

I feel like this should be left here: Everybody you meet has a secret smile, and a secret pain. If your secret pain feels like a weight you can no longer carry, please talk to someone. Anyone. Lay down your burdens, and give your shoulders a rest. If you're in the US, there's the National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 LGBT folks in the US might also consider The Trevor Project Lifeline: 1-866-488-7386 I…

Suicide hotlines are pretty ineffective as far as suicide prevention goes.

Do you know of something more effective for the same cost?

Re: What to Do When a Loved One Is Severely Depressed

#36

Post by dbt00 »

astockwell wrote: post #19
kyleperik wrote: post #4

Great article, but what is this about? Is this really true? > But remember that interactions with law enforcement can vary wildly, depending on race and socio-economic background.

That is a warning for people who live in the US, and are not moderately wealthy caucasians. Sadly yes it is bitterly true.

Anyone can be affected by this, which is why police brutality should be an everyone issue, but statistically speaking you are correct.

(There are many other, more dangerous places in the world where you shouldn't call cops for things like this, but probably everyone there knows why, so you don't have to caution the statistically unlikely subset not to do this.)

Re: What to Do When a Loved One Is Severely Depressed

#37

Post by rjpr »

soared wrote: post #33
rjpr wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you read this at all? > If you have admitted yourself into a psychiatric hospital, you can not simply sign yourself out and leave when you decide to do so. There is a process which must be followed in order to leave.

That aligns with my previous comment. There is a fast legal process, not some arcane movie-like entrapment like your comment implied.

My comment implied no such thing. I was simply stating that you can't just up and leave should you so wish, you getting released is not in your control.

Re: What to Do When a Loved One Is Severely Depressed

#38

Post by asdsa5325 »

astockwell wrote: post #19
kyleperik wrote: post #4

Great article, but what is this about? Is this really true? > But remember that interactions with law enforcement can vary wildly, depending on race and socio-economic background.

That is a warning for people who live in the US, and are not moderately wealthy caucasians. Sadly yes it is bitterly true.

It's a warning for everyone. Caucasians have plenty of bad interactions with police, especially surrounding mental health. Also, depression is increasing fastest in white men.

Re: What to Do When a Loved One Is Severely Depressed

#39

Post by paulpauper »

rjpr wrote: post #21
rjurney wrote: post #14

It is unfortunate that stigma around mental illness causes most people to view psychiatric hospitals as places to avoid at all cost, as they have a stigma so terrible going to one is like dying multiple deaths. After that you're 'legally' crazy (whatever the fuck that means)! In fact, if you need one, if you are severely depressed or hallucinating, a hospital is exactly the place for you. You will most likely love it…

Personally I'd avoid them at all costs due to the loss of control. You can't just decide "I'm done" or "I don't like it here", you getting released is at the discretion of people that you don't even know.

and also they are really expensive, similar to trips to the emergency room.

Re: What to Do When a Loved One Is Severely Depressed

#40

Post by Kenji »

rjurney wrote: post #14

It is unfortunate that stigma around mental illness causes most people to view psychiatric hospitals as places to avoid at all cost, as they have a stigma so terrible going to one is like dying multiple deaths. After that you're 'legally' crazy (whatever the fuck that means)! In fact, if you need one, if you are severely depressed or hallucinating, a hospital is exactly the place for you. You will most likely love it…

They also harvest your mental health data. If that surfaces at an unsuitable point in time in your life (e.g. you want to get into politics, you want to operate heavy machinery, you want to serve, etc, etc.) you will pay a huge price because you're one of the crazies who cannot be trusted.
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