Robin Williams, star of Jumanji, dead in apparent suicide - by nobodyinparticular
ZylonBane on 13/8/2014 at 15:36
Next thread title-- "Lauren Bacall, star of Scooby-Doo and the Goblin King, dead".
Kolya on 13/8/2014 at 16:04
Quote Posted by faetal
[EDIT] Kolya - my Dad and my younger brother both suffer from really bad depression and anxiety also. That said, as an outlier for the proposed model, I'm both not very funny and an unsuccessful musician :cool:
Same for my father and my older brother, they both don't really leave the house anymore, live on a small rent and generally spend their days depressed and in a paralyzing fear of life. And I guess I'm an outlier too, because I manage to have a job and wife, although I've had my fair share of panic attacks. Still can't play any instrument. :erg:
faetal on 13/8/2014 at 17:24
My little brother, who is 30 is just barely holding down an entry level admin role while spending his spare time gaming and drinking. He suffers from severe depression and generalised anxiety disorder. He's super intelligent and absolutely hilarious, so it's heart-rending to see him moored to the ground like this. He was recently one of the witnesses at my wedding and had to speak in front of everyone there, which I think nearly killed him. He was very nearly made to sing, but I vetoed it. I think I'll spend my whole life wishing I could fix him.
scumble on 13/8/2014 at 20:08
Faetal/Kolya - I have more of a reason to believe that therapy is quite helpful these days, because I've had it dig me out of a big hole that my family couldn't on their own. Part of the problem is finding a therapist who is any good.
The initial problem however is getting the person to admit they need help. I don't know if that applies to any of your family at all.
Tony_Tarantula on 13/8/2014 at 20:39
I'll second that, but I'll also throw out something else:
My experience has always been that what's even more helpful is having some meaningful, long-lasting, deep relationships to the people around you. It's only a hypothesis right now but with all the PTSD in the news I can't help but ask....
why? What is the reason that yesteryear's vets were able to survive the horrors of a full on, frontal warfare during World War 2 but contemporary vets are coming home with massive amounts of mental illness from what seems to be a very mild conflict by comparison?
The only theory I have is that it has to do with what they came back home to. World War 2 era vets came home to intact families that loved them, a nation rising economically, and a culture that was(some specific exceptions aside) fairly friendly and positive. Today's vets generally come home to broken families, few friends, and a nation mired in negativity and suspicion where people generally don't have much regard for each other.
What no therapist can do, unfortunately, is tell you what you are supposed to live for or to give you the relationships you need to fill that void. Some people find it in a line of work they are passionate about, others find it in a religion or a cause they love, and others find it in people they care deeply about.
If I was living in a blank, Office Space-esque existence of pointless drudgery and blandness I'd find it hard not to be depressed too. The prevalence of that lifestyle is also probably the reason Americans are so dramatic. HOW do you go through life knowing that nothing you are doing is meaningful? That nothing you are doing will lead to improving you as a person or life? American society is extremely de-humanizing.
Perhaps that's why Europeans are so much less depressed than Americans. While I was (very briefly) living in Zurich I noticed by the end of my first week that most people were much more "whole" than Americans. I noticed that people treated each other like actual people. They had a bounce in their step that Anglo societies don't and a friendly attitude. That also probably explains why (
http://www.forbes.com/sites/elainepofeldt/2014/03/05/survey-entrepreneurs-are-happier-than-employees/) The happiest people are those who own their businesses. If you are the owner, your life is centered around creating value rather than just consuming it......and what you do has a purpose because everything you do at work contributes to building your life. It's the same way with lawyers. Those who "hang out a shingle" aren't as financially prosperous as those who work for corporate law or big-law firms but they are dramatically happier.
Renzatic on 14/8/2014 at 00:53
Quote Posted by Slasher
They exist?! Next you're going to be telling us Santa Claus is real. :tsktsk:
Oh yes, they exist. Someone posted (
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c7a_1403817143&comments=1) this apparently outrage inducing thing on my Facebook wall the other day. I sat there watching it. Taking it in. Feeling the amazement and horror growing inside me. Not at the flagrant abuse of authority. Oh no. I was flabbergasted by fact that there are actually people out there besides Fett who like Nickelback.
...and I'm getting sick of people throwing political outrage bait at me on Facebook.
Tony_Tarantula on 14/8/2014 at 00:58
Quote Posted by Renzatic
people out there besides Fett who like Nickelback.
You mean douchebags?
Renzatic on 14/8/2014 at 01:17
No. I hold douchebags in higher regard.
