Are We Talking Too Much About Mental Health? • Hacker News Board

Re: Are We Talking Too Much About Mental Health?

#21

Post by Jerrrry » Tue, May 07, 2024, 2:50 PM UTC

marginalia_nu wrote: post #16

There's probably several sides to this. On the one hand, we're talking about experiences that we previously would have kept to ourselves, in a way that is probably healthy. On the other hand, we tend to medicalize life experiences in a way that may not be helpful. If you for example view every unpleasant experience you have as psychological trauma that is expected to leave an indelible scar on your soul, that's an ex…

Social contagion fueled by a society that only values individuals by their position in an unspoken, disgusting caste system of perceived oppression.

Re: Are We Talking Too Much About Mental Health?

#22

Post by Jerrrry » Tue, May 07, 2024, 2:56 PM UTC

_8j50 wrote: post #6

Quite the opposite. Any conversation remotely related to mental health == "see a therapist". No need to frame things as mental health topic, most of the time you don't need someone who is a expert in psychoanalysis to help people, you just need to listen to people, show some empathy and be generous with your time. Of course, it is easier said than done. I've had to many conversations where trying to establish some de…

It's a double incentive of both yielding everyone's collective responsibility to at least pretend to care or empathize with another and simultaneously shielding from any responsibility or liability.

"Sorry you thought I bullied you in high school. You should go see a therapist. I did, and I was told I've been absolved for my actions and given pills to make me forget"

It's like a commodifying replacement of our social/religious/communal obligation.

Re: Are We Talking Too Much About Mental Health?

#23

Post by JumpinJack_Cash » Tue, May 07, 2024, 6:43 PM UTC

Mental health is everything.

It's the reason why there are billionaires and popstars who are depressed/suicidal and stage IV cancer patients who wake up every day with positive thoughts and gratitude.

I also believe it's Nature's way to stop (or otherwise provide some sort turnover) narcissists from taking over the world.

There is a close correlation between bad mental health and time spent thinking about yourself/ego, or thinking at all, that's why mindfullness and meditation work, and also religion/prayer.

Re: Are We Talking Too Much About Mental Health?

#24

Post by nilsherzig » Tue, May 07, 2024, 11:02 PM UTC

viraptor wrote: post #19

nilsherzig wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a recent ADHD diagnosis (M 21 / from Germany) and this apparent social media trend of having ADHD makes it very hard for me to get taken seriously with my diagnosis. I'm very sure that my diagnosis is right (they even talked with my primary school teachers and I respond very well to the meds), but I still get these moments of self doubt / imposter syndrome in which im thinking, that I might just have made this…

On the other hand, it's the trend of talking about mental health more openly that allowed me to figure out my issues. It's going to take some time for things to cool off and stabilise either way. Let's just keep in mind both the positive and negative effects here. It's actually HN itself where someone mentioned a paper/medication that turned out to work quite well for me.

Oh absolutely, I didn't mean to imply that these minor annoyances outweigh the benefits for society.

Being able to talk about issues like mental health problems is incredibly important and even nowadays in a modern country like Germany, not everyone is happy to do so. Every little bit of normalization helps.

Apart from that, I think it's better to help a few people who "didn't really need it" than to make it harder for those who really need help to get it.

Re: Are We Talking Too Much About Mental Health?

#25

Post by nilsherzig » Tue, May 07, 2024, 11:05 PM UTC

d1sxeyes wrote: post #13

nilsherzig wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a recent ADHD diagnosis (M 21 / from Germany) and this apparent social media trend of having ADHD makes it very hard for me to get taken seriously with my diagnosis. I'm very sure that my diagnosis is right (they even talked with my primary school teachers and I respond very well to the meds), but I still get these moments of self doubt / imposter syndrome in which im thinking, that I might just have made this…

That sucks :( sorry to hear that.

Thank you, but everything is fine. I know that these thoughts are not true and the advantages of the diagnosis clearly outweigh them :).