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Garzik: An Andre To Remember

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Re: Garzik: An Andre To Remember

#41

Post by noonespecial »

Get outside, enjoy the green grass, the birds in the trees. Talk to people you know. Talk to strangers! Drive to Wisconsin, and find out whatever it is they do there. Build a treehouse. Park on a parkway and drive on a driveway. Make a macaroni necklace. Visit a dairy. Climb a rock. Seek life.

This is advice for someone who had a bad day. This is not advice for someone who is depressed! These suggestions assume that the person has hope. Or even considers the possibility of ever having hope again. There's just no way I can tell someone who hasn't been on this train what it's like to ride it. It's like being dead in a way. Would you tell a dead man to get out and enjoy the grass? It's a bit like that.

Re: Garzik: An Andre To Remember

#42

Post by slurgfest »

DanBC wrote: post #35
singular wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also have clinical depression, and this has also been my experience. Something which also adds to the problems is that people so often condescend - 'you won't feel better unless you do X, Y or Z' and actually essentially accuse you of bringing it on yourself. And a lot of the problem is the guilt you feel about everything, so it's the worst possible thing you can do for a depressed person. I find having some projec…

"clinical" depression is meaningless. Literally, it has no meaning. Perhaps you mean "Diagnosed by a real doctor", as opposed to "self diagnosed from a check list"? But when we look at depression diagnosed by experts we see a variety of forms, and a variety of strengths. I agree that well meaning people sometimes offer really bad advice. But advice about developing a healthy lifestyle (being careful with caffeine, al…

The phrase "clinical depression" distinguishes depression (in the clinical, officially-diagnosed sense) from depression (in the informal, no-more-cookies-angst sense).

If you want to know more about the technical meaning of "depression," consult DSM.

Re: Garzik: An Andre To Remember

#43

Post by slurgfest »

combataircraft wrote: post #21

On the other words: All this software development shits are NOT for EARTH. They are for the price competition of capitalist system and can only impact prices in capitalist cities, nothing more than this. Don't put so much meaning and don't think you're becoming a better person when you commit to a repository.

That isn't true. Software is just a kind of tool. Some software is fart apps, some is enterprise CRM but a lot is really useful in tangible ways that have nothing directly to do with capitalism.

I also disagree with the implication that there is something inherently unworthy with selling things on the free market. This is the way most people on earth get most of the things they need and in many cases it is the most efficient rationing mechanism practicable.

Beyond all this, it's good to do things you love. If someone really enjoys the activity then it is none of my business to say they shouldn't because it is at worst quite harmless.

Re: Garzik: An Andre To Remember

#44

Post by mistermann »

noonespecial wrote: post #41

Get outside, enjoy the green grass, the birds in the trees. Talk to people you know. Talk to strangers! Drive to Wisconsin, and find out whatever it is they do there. Build a treehouse. Park on a parkway and drive on a driveway. Make a macaroni necklace. Visit a dairy. Climb a rock. Seek life. This is advice for someone who had a bad day. This is not advice for someone who is depressed! These suggestions assume that…

You sound like someone personally familiar with depression?

If so, may I ask a question?

I imagine it is true that people who are depressed may have a mental blockade to self-diagnose and independently coming to the conclusion that they may be suffering from depression. But is it also true that people who are depressed may also (always, sometimes) be resistant to the suggestion from others that they may be suffering from depression? ie: Is it common that depression may be accompanied by a self-defense mechanism whereby the afflicted may be highly resistant to the suggestion or any discussion of the topic?

Secondarily....if you are worried about someone, what would be a good approach? Talk to them on one of their "up" days, hoping that they may be thinking more clearly than usual?

Re: Garzik: An Andre To Remember

#45

Post by samstave »

noonespecial wrote: post #41

Get outside, enjoy the green grass, the birds in the trees. Talk to people you know. Talk to strangers! Drive to Wisconsin, and find out whatever it is they do there. Build a treehouse. Park on a parkway and drive on a driveway. Make a macaroni necklace. Visit a dairy. Climb a rock. Seek life. This is advice for someone who had a bad day. This is not advice for someone who is depressed! These suggestions assume that…

>Get outside, enjoy the green grass, the birds in the trees. Talk to people you know. Talk to strangers! Drive to Wisconsin, and find out whatever it is they do there. Build a treehouse. Park on a parkway and drive on a driveway. Make a macaroni necklace. Visit a dairy. Climb a rock. Seek life.

This is what becoming a parent is like!

Have a kid and you'll do a lot more of this stuff!

Re: Garzik: An Andre To Remember

#46

Post by jongraehl »

hobin wrote: post #31
loceng wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have any forms of cognitive behaviour therapy or say innerchild/regression therapy helped or been explored? Have you explored dietary changes? Did you have ear infections as a child (relevant question)?

Yes and yes. Both didn't work, or didn't have enough effect to get me out of the no-motivation cycle. Ergo, SSRIs (which thankfully did work). Yes to the third question, too (as a matter of fact I had a cholesteatoma). Could you tell me how that is relevant?

It's not likely relevant, really. Sometimes people are depressed after flu or ear infection and attribute it to that.

There's some sense in:

1. If you're stressed and/or avoiding sunlight, you're more likely to be depressed and fall ill.

2. You feel less pleasure while severely sick. Personally, I notice my affect when thinking about everything is dramatically different. I discount it for that reason.

3. Depression apparently involves some feedback loops that can make it a fairly stable equilibrium; so the shift in experience during the sickness might linger (perhaps the isolation and lack of sun while sick lingers).

I don't see any studies showing a strong link. To present my own anecdote, I had a dozen ear infections before my teens and have never experienced depression. This is a very small bit of evidence, though.

Re: Garzik: An Andre To Remember

#47

Post by sid6376 »

mistermann wrote: post #44
noonespecial wrote: post #41

Get outside, enjoy the green grass, the birds in the trees. Talk to people you know. Talk to strangers! Drive to Wisconsin, and find out whatever it is they do there. Build a treehouse. Park on a parkway and drive on a driveway. Make a macaroni necklace. Visit a dairy. Climb a rock. Seek life. This is advice for someone who had a bad day. This is not advice for someone who is depressed! These suggestions assume that…

You sound like someone personally familiar with depression? If so, may I ask a question? I imagine it is true that people who are depressed may have a mental blockade to self-diagnose and independently coming to the conclusion that they may be suffering from depression. But is it also true that people who are depressed may also (always, sometimes) be resistant to the suggestion from others that they may be suffering…

>> But is it also true that people who are depressed may also (always, sometimes) be resistant to the suggestion from others that they may be suffering from depression?

I had a girlfriend once, who suffered from bipolar disorder. The problem is the feelings that you have while having a depressive episode are real problems to you, in the sense that they affect you very deeply at that point. When someone suggests to that person that maybe you are just depressed, it often seems to them that you are trying to ignoring the issue and instead trying to shift the blame on them. This infuriates them further and they either lash out against you or shut up. After screwing up a couple of times,every time I realized she was possibly having an episode I tried to put it very gently to her and only after talking about whatever is bothering her. I will also suggest going through this link to understand how people having a depressive episode feel(Even though the article is about lupus). http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christ...

Re: Garzik: An Andre To Remember

#48

Post by ditoa »

steve8918 wrote: post #34

I had a good friend from high school who was brilliant. We were academic rivals, but he definitely outworked everyone in the entire school. He got into Duke and graduated with a double major in engineering and economics. He got his law degree, and then his Master's in Law, and passed the bar exam in New York and I think CA. He was working in patent law in NYC for a few years, and then abruptly quit and moved back hom…

In the UK it is quite easy (and free obviously, NHS and all that) to get somebody seen by a mental health professional. I have suffered from several mental health problems over the past 3½ years and the only reason I am here today replying to your post is because of the fantastic support provided by the NHS (and my family of course).

I feel so sad when I read stories like yours of friends and loved ones who need help but don't get it :(

Re: Garzik: An Andre To Remember

#49

Post by DanBC »

slurgfest wrote: post #42
DanBC wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"clinical" depression is meaningless. Literally, it has no meaning. Perhaps you mean "Diagnosed by a real doctor", as opposed to "self diagnosed from a check list"? But when we look at depression diagnosed by experts we see a variety of forms, and a variety of strengths. I agree that well meaning people sometimes offer really bad advice. But advice about developing a healthy lifestyle (being careful with caffeine, al…

The phrase "clinical depression" distinguishes depression (in the clinical, officially-diagnosed sense) from depression (in the informal, no-more-cookies-angst sense). If you want to know more about the technical meaning of "depression," consult DSM.

But "clinical" has no meaning. It is not mentioned in DSM or in ICD.

Re: Garzik: An Andre To Remember

#50

Post by DanBC »

singular wrote: post #36
DanBC wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"clinical" depression is meaningless. Literally, it has no meaning. Perhaps you mean "Diagnosed by a real doctor", as opposed to "self diagnosed from a check list"? But when we look at depression diagnosed by experts we see a variety of forms, and a variety of strengths. I agree that well meaning people sometimes offer really bad advice. But advice about developing a healthy lifestyle (being careful with caffeine, al…

Well, to me 'clinical' depression implies diagnosed by a doctor, yes. Sure, and it does vary a lot. So perhaps I meant to say severe vs. mild. People overstate these things to a degree. Like I said, sure they help, but it's scratching the surface IMHO. What's more important is to attack the depression itself, directly. And, though anecdotal, I've been through periods being severely depressed despite going to the gym…

In most cases CBT & exercise and better food is attacking the depression itself, directly.

> The key thing, however, is for people to lose that attitude of 'go get a life doing things I think are healthy/fun and you'll be happy' because, basically, that's b.s. projection,

Yes, I agree.

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