DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Palus Politicus Kate Spade’s death ignites concern about rising suicide rate

30% rise since 99? good god...

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nati...tion/681563002/

Fashion designer Kate Spade’s death this week has reminded Americans of the enormous toll of suicide, a growing problem that claims nearly 45,000 lives a year.

Suicide rates in the U.S. have risen nearly 30% since 1999, according to a report released Thursday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suicides increased in both men and women, in all ethnic groups and in both urban and rural areas. Suicide and “self-harm,” a category that includes attempted suicides, cost the nation $70 billion a year in medical care and lost work time.

Nearly half of people who died by suicide had a known mental health condition, according to the CDC. Family members have given different accounts of Spade’s struggle. In media interviews, her sister, Reta Saffo, has said that she believes the designer suffered from bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression. The designer’s husband said in a statement that she “suffered from depression and anxiety for many years” and “was actively seeking help” before she died on Tuesday.

Regardless of the exact diagnosis, it seems that Spade was among the millions of Americans suffering from serious mental illness, said Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, a professor of psychiatry at Columbia University, who has no personal knowledge of the case. The country needs to take suicide and mental illness more seriously, said Lieberman, noting that both depression and bipolar disorder can be treated successfully, and that suicide is often preventable.

“Suicide is not an acceptable outcome for depression,” Lieberman said.

Although more Americans die from suicides than car accidents or opioids, the stigma of mental illness prevents suicide from getting much attention, apart from fleeting news coverage when celebrities, such as comedian Robin Williams, take their own lives, Lieberman said.

People suffering from serious mental illness are at high risk of suicide, said Dr. Jennifer Payne, director of the Women's Mood Disorders Center at Johns Hopkins Hospital. About 10% of people with major depression die of suicide. About 15% of people with bipolar disorder die from suicide.

Mental illness generally first appears when people are in their teens or 20s. Sometimes, however, friends and families of people with a milder form of bipolar disorder — one that does not induce psychotic behavior — can mistake their condition for depression, Payne said. People who experience milder manic episodes— called hypomania — can seem energetic and productive, rather than deranged.

It’s also common for people with mental illness to suffer from multiple conditions, such as bipolar disorder and panic disorder, Lieberman said. A proportion of people with mental illness also suffer from substance abuse, as well, sometimes “self-medicating” to ease their moods.

On June 5, 2018, law-enforcement officials said fashion designer Kate Spade, 55, was found dead in her apartment in an apparent suicide. Click forward to revisit her career, like this 2004 photo of her posing with her handbags and shoes from that season's collection. Bebeto Matthews/AP
Although drugs such as lithium can effectively treat bipolar disorders, some people with the condition are reluctant to use the medication because they feel it dulls their creativity, Payne said.

Although mental illness can be life-threatening, many people with depression or bipolar disorder lead successful lives. Actresses Carrie Fisher and Margot Kidder spoke openly about coping with bipolar disorder. Pop stars Mariah Carey and Demi Lovato also have acknowledged having bipolar disorder.

Abraham Lincoln spoke of his depression, and some now believe that British Prime Minister Winston Churchill suffered from bipolar disorder, said Dr. Ken Duckworth, medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Psychologist Kay Redfield Jamison, a professor at Johns Hopkins who has bipolar disorder, has written of the link between bipolar disorder and creativity in her book “Touched With Fire: Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament.”

Payne said she doesn’t hide her daughter’s bipolar diagnosis. Her daughter has been hospitalized at the hospital where she works. But her daughter is also a successful college student, who earns straight A’s and wins awards for her poetry.

Beyond medication, people with bipolar disorder can benefit from psychotherapy, which can help them recognize triggers and early warning signs that they may be entering a manic episode, Duckworth said.

He advises patients to keep regular schedules, including waking up, exercising and going to sleep at the same time every day. He counsels patients in college not to pull all-nighters or stay up late at parties. Getting enough sleep can be vital.

Duckworth notes that his father suffered from bipolar disorder and was hospitalized 25 times. Although he gambled heavily during his manic episodes, his father maintained a steady job and a 52-year marriage, Duckworth said.

At his funeral, he was so well-loved,” Duckworth said. “It was impossible to tell he had bipolar disorder.”

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simply unacceptable. tragic. whatever adjective someone wants to use (except 'awesome').

for the richest country in the world, we certainly dont have anywhere near a happy overall population. there's so many factors that goes into this, i dunno if we're ready for a serious discussion, because we still have too many people in this country who view mental illness as something that shouldn't be discussed, or something that is only an excuse.

I disagree with that a little bit. I always hear about how there is this "stigma" with mental illness. I think that "stigma" was gone forever when Robin Williams (seemingly the happiest, and probably the funniest person on earth at the time) committed suicide. I think the world is ready, and that instance opened a lot of eyes.

Personally, like you said I do agree, there are 1000's of factors, if not 10's of thousands of factors, including but not limited too: Parenting, the food we eat, the money we make, the people we associate with, our culture as a whole, genetic predisposition, and on and on. And one topic in particular that NOT MANY will talk about, our DOCTORS.

This is a subject that is near and dear to my heart, as I have been MISDIAGNOSED in the past. I suffered from depression in my younger years, and was diagnosed as bi-polar disorder (by our family doctor, who was not a mental health specialist). This may have been 10-12 years ago. She prescribed my Lithium (funny, that's what Johnny was taking - crap aint no joke), and Seratraline (sp?). She came to this diagnosis (and prescribed me life altering drugs to take daily for the rest of the my life), by me filling out a 5 minute questionnaire. I had to get bi monthly blood work done to make sure it wasn't affecting my liver. Funny story, when first took the pills I went to work (they said do not take them at night, in case you had a reaction). About an hour into my day, I had to call my father to come pick me up at work. He and three other guys had to carry me out to my car, I couldn't walk. I was completely numb and immobile. I literally could not lift my arms or move my legs. He called the doctor, she said "that's normal, just let him adjust over the next few days, it will build up in his system and he'll fine".

What a lot of people do not know about some of those drugs, if you are not suffering from mental illness, they can have a REVERSE effect on you, and make you mentally ill, and suicidal. Luckily for me, I had a great support group at home, and I never got to that point. At first the pills helped, while I was depressed, but over time, they did nothing.

This is a great thread Swish, I really hope it doesn't get sidetracked with back and forth bickering from both sides like most do, as this is something ALL political sides are effected by.

On a personal note, I was since seen by a mental health professional, and he declared I am perfectly fine. That I, just like of millions of others, suffered from a case of depression. I am not mentally ill, I just was in the slums for a bit. Something that a lot of people go through, that some feel is "normal" which it is not. I would be that more people have had depression that don't even know it BTW.

Sorry for the long post to hijack your thread. I have only talked about this with my wife once before, and close family. Not even my closest friends have been informed.

Feels kind of weird telling this to some who have called me some vile names in the past but hey - I have nothing to be ashamed about. Make fun if they wish.

I will also say this. a problem is people do not know what it is. They think its normal to feel depressed.

Its not normal to feel like the weight of the world is crushing your chest, to where you cant breathe, its not normal to have anger issues that the slightest thing will throw in a fit of rage, its not normal to sit up at night worrying about tiny little issues that just pester you to an unbearable state. its not normal to cry and cry, and not really know why your crying. Its not normal to feel like your problems are a burden to others, its not normal to believe that everyone hates you. Its not normal feel like that the world would be better if you just "left". Its not normal to feel bad for enjoying something - to where your normal activities that you have enjoyed your entire life...you do not enjoy anymore.

I plead with anyone that thinks these are "normal" behaviors, to seek help. Talk to someone. It does not make you weak, it does not make you less a man or less a person. It does not put a burden on your family. If you have or are feeling any of the above, its NOT NORMAL.

THAT is the biggest issue I believe, is that that people think these feelings are normal, and they go untreated.

Personal opinion: apologies are unnecessary.
I didn;t consider it a hijack at all. It was completely on-point, and has real value because it's candid, personal and from the heart.

Posts like yours should never be cause for apologies.
Glad to know you got through it, got a better opinion, and are fine now. Misdiagnoses are bad enough- prescribing meds based on that diagnosis can be fatal.

Good on ya, bro.

Thanks for sharing ... glad u got through it ...

I can’t believe what the doctor said was normal ... holy crap ...

yeah, there are some that bashed manziel about saying he was on lithium and had some episodes etc. I truly feel sorry for the kid. I never went through what he did - and I never went through it to that extent. But I know WHERE he is coming from.

Thank you. The other day I came across a quote by Wendy Mass I believe, but she said something to the case of (paraphrasing) - "Be kind, be very kind. For everyone you know is fighting a battle you know nothing about."

Edit: Looks like its much older than that

It is thought that Maclaren was the original source of the quotation “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle,” now widely misattributed to Plato or Philo of Alexandria. The oldest known instance of this quotation is in the 1897 Christmas edition of The British Weekly, penned by Maclaren: “Be pitiful, for every man is fighting a hard battle.”[

Link

I think for a lot of people, in pain for this or that, just tired of life beating them down, never satisfied, never happy... suicide is just their end game.

Had a guy I knew, worked for me off and on as a painter, that decided his insurance was worth more to his wife and kids than he was. From the time he upped his policy to as much premium as he could cover and still live he kept telling several of us that this was his plan. We tried to talk him out of it, and he would seem ok for a while then bring it up again.

His policy had to age 2 years I think it was to pay off. He waited like 2 years and 4 months, then straighten a hairpin curve doi9ng over 100 on a hill into a tall cluster of old growth oaks. If he didn't have his wallet and plates on his vehicle they wouldn't have been able to identify him.

Months after his funeral his family moved away. His wife knew what he did, I guess he was a mean drunken SOB at home, but she moved out of shame and disappeared.

Another kids i went to high school with robbed a crack house in the nineties. About 3 minutes into the robbery, while holding the drug dealers at gun point with a sawed off shotgun, the police raided the place. Locked behind a steel reinforced door, he put the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger rather than go to jail.

People just don't see the value in life in some situations. Life is getting harder for many, so naturally suicide is going to go up.

I’ve never known anyone who committed suicide personally. The only people I know who have done it, have been drug using, wealthy celebrities like Scott Weiland, Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington types. I just view it as an extremely selfish act if you are in good health so I have a hard time mourning suicide.

I regrettably watched 13 reasons why on Netflix…..and I could not shake the feeling that this teenager was a selfish crybaby and they REALLY tried hard to paint her as a victim. When rich, spoiled people commit suicide it comes off as a spit in the face to anyone who has struggled their way through life. There are literally 10’s of millions of people who would have wanted to help Kate Spade, there are about 15 who would want to help me.

Yes mental illness is an issue but it’s hard to have a lot of empathy for people who have mastered the game of life and still don’t want to play.

We have always had difficulty talking about things with so many variables.. heck to the extent that this MB is a cross section of people you see it on here. No matter what the topic being discussed, folks latch onto their one thing "THIS is the problem" and then argue until their fingers bleed.

The list of causes (and how they inter-react to affect each other) is almost infinite... and I still maintain that the human brain, how it processes and relates facts, emotions, memories, future hopes and fears.. it's something we really know precious little about.

I have given my thoughts as to why these kinds of things are happening .... but people just think I'm old fashioned, or something .....

They are rich and famous, have families and kids, they have it all but they find there is a hole in their world and do not know how to fill that hole. There is something missing in their lives but they can't find what that is.

hijack what? you posted exactly what i was hoping for. glad you said what you said, straight up.

i think the stigma is there still. while it might not be as bad as it use to be, its still there, especially depending on the groups/work environment/household you are in.

for example, talking about signs of PTSD in my unit was a no no. honestly its because we were scared to; we saw what happened when guys started going to mental health appointments. couple months later, they got medically discharged. guys didn't want their careers to be potentially over, so we just didnt say much.

an average of 22 vets die per day from suicide.

i wonder what the rate is for law enforcement. or first responders in general. these are areas where the chances of getting PTSD is high, but talking to someone about it is extremely low.

ive been down your block with the meds. man, the VA tried to put me on all these anti depressants and other meds i dont want to dwell too much on. it made me feel like absolute crap, and i just didn't feel like myself. thats why i swapped to the devils lettuce lol.

i absolutely believe big pharma, and in certain cases doctors, try to push meds on people, creating dependency on medication. and when they cant get those drugs anymore....well...

other thing, and i'm probably gonna get blasted for this.....but i think the culture of this country has a lot to do with it.

now, im not saying the culture is bad....but our culture, the way we raise our kids and societal standards, certainly have consequences leading to suicide. we are an ULTRA competitive nation. i mean, we're raised to compete against one another, especially with regards to older children. everything is about winning and not much else, in general. asking for help is a no no. not succeeding to how OTHERS think you should succeed is a no no.

anything off about someone's personality mean they are gonna get bullied in school. and now with the internet, and how connected it is to daily lives of everybody, its almost impossible to disconnect. you could have a rough day in school, and then all of a sudden have kids floating mean memes about you in high school.

sure, these kids can turn off their phones, but that doesnt do anything about the kids making fun of them about it once they go back to class the next day. its impossible to escape.

i agree that most people have experienced depression. from losing a job, to a breakup, to parents dying, etc.

the problem is that we have so many circumstances that just pile on in addition to the initial situation that made someone depressed in the first place.

a dad died, and now the family is heartbroken. but he was the breadwinner, so now the mom is more depressed because on top of her husband dying, now she has to figure out how to cover the bills, and a big thing that leads people to suicide in this country is finances.

people just cant cope a lot of times. and there's almost little outlet we have as people to vent and reach out. we have the internet, yet people are even more disconnected from society than ever before.

talking to a shrink is a joke. theyre paid to do it, and most often you just get the sense that they really dont care anyway.

two years ago, i was in the PTSD program in the VA, and i just kept getting bounced around from one PTSD group to another. talking to other guys in the program, and one said he hadnt even seen the same shrink 3 times in a row. sometimes its always a different person. its like the mental helth professionals just bounce patients around from one to another. that leads to people even more depressed, because now the feeling is that the one spot you hoped understood what you were going through doesnt give a crap about you, either.

then you look at children, especially girls who get sexually abused at a young age. i cant even begin to imagine what thats like, especially those who get abused by their own family members. that often leads to suicide, whether through the path of drugs and prostitution and such.

and then to bring it back to our culture....again, in this country, we treat so many things like taboo around here. for such a wealthy country, we still have this puritan idea that everything must be kept a secret and not be talked about, or else youre gonna get shamed for it.

then some get told to pray on it. well whats praying gonna do for a kid who just got roasted by his classmates again? whats praying gonna do for a woman who JUST got sexually abused, and then in court made to seem like she wanted it? or was told "well, what were you wearing"?

a lot of suicides can be traced back to victim blaming, which is absolutely prevalent in this country to no end.

my boy (RIP) committed suicide. he deployed so much that it actually became sort of like an addiction for him. he would try to call different units and see if they were deploying any time soon, and then try and transfer to go, despite having a wife and 3 kids.

he ended up getting medically retired, and couldnt cope in the civilian world whatsoever. was addicted to the military lifestyle...but he obviously couldnt get back in...and just one day offed himself. all funerals are bad, but that was one of the worst ones i ever been to.

we have to remember that just because someone is super wealthy, doesn't mean they're happy.

think about those kids who grow up in 1% homes? the children of celebrities, so much pressure on them that quite honestly i wouldnt know how that feels. because they grow up with a TON of unrealistic expectations.

and being ultra rich....what if that person is ultra lonely? isolation doesnt discriminate based on tax bracket.

Sorry to hear bro. They used to call them struggles the 1000 yard stare and shell shocked. Now it's all PTSD. War breaks men in funny ways imo, some want to get back home, some can't get back home, some get trapped in between.

Somewhat amazingly, this is probably one of the best threads in the Political Forum that I have read. People are sharing. Being insightful and reflective. Showing compassion. That's strong stuff that can make us all better.

I don't want to hijack your thread either, Swish. I just want to add to it, if it's okay.

Most of y'all know I was a teacher and coach for a long ass time. I get upset w/y'all on the school shooting threads because it always resorts to gun control and making our schools fortresses. Oh, and not to mention political alliances.

Well.........I think the issue is far more complex than that. I've researched it. In addition to the increase in school shootings, teen suicides are way up. They are even higher than the national average that you posted.

I think this is key..........the males suicide percentages are fairly well aligned w/the national average, but the female suicide rate in teens is much higher than the national average.

What does this tell us? I think that females are more prone to internal thoughts while males are more likely to lash out. Teen girls kill themselves. Males kill others.

Please, please do not take that as an all-inclusive statement. That is not my point.

My point is that we have way more troubled youths than we have ever had in our history. Deflecting the blame to guns or lack of prison-like schools is not going to solve the problem.

Instead, we need to examine why we have so many troubled youths and what can we do to help them.

They are screaming at us for help. Please stop making everything a political war and instead........please recognize the desperate cries of our troubled youths.

My opinion, number 1 reason for the teen suicide rate bring up is social media. Kids plaster their lives all for the world to see, and it rarely does them good. They don't live up to their friends, or their own expectations for their "status". If there is a feud or bullying, it is amplified so much because everything is broadcast and kids can't escape it.

Everyone has faced bullying at some point, but kids can't escape it today, and for some reason, it seems kids lost coping skills to some extent as well.

Sometimes but not always. Like a lot of other things you have to be VERY careful and VERY particular and often VERY relentless....

My wife has bad anxiety, she was diagnosed by 3 different people over the course of a few months and they all reached a different diagnosis, which is why I said earlier, that I think we know precious little about these kinds of things.. one said she was OCD, the other said she had PTSD, the other said it was generalized anxiety disorder.. now in their defense, those 3 things can be very similar and the treatment for each is pretty similar.

Ultimately she picked a counselor to talk to, she was uncomfortable with this counselor from the beginning because the counselor asked her the same questions at each of 3 visits, like she didn't remember (or write down) the answers the first couple times.. and it wasn't like it was a test to see if she got different answers, it was stupid stuff like "Are you allergic to any foods?"... the counselor wanted her to get on meds immediately but my wife didn't want to.. she wanted to treat with just counseling sessions to see how that would work. The counselor actually told her that she would STOP seeing her unless she got on meds... so she found a different counselor and finally consented to go to another doctor who is capable of providing medication (the counselor is not)

The doctor ran this DNA swab that was supposed to predict which meds would work best for her and have the least chance of side effects.. the test was $250.. the results came back and the doctor didn't even go over the results with my wife, she gave us a thumb drive with the results on it (like we know how to read them) and told her what she should take... So being diligent, I figured out how to read the thumb drive results and figured out that the med she prescribed, not only were they not on the list of things that would work for my wife, it wasn't on the list at all.. my wife went back and forth with several meds, each gave her unacceptable side effects... it was clear the doctor wasn't using the results of this DNA test at all, just prescribing one med after another like a trial and error thing.. wasted $250..

So now, I'm happy to say that my wife has found a counselor she likes, she has found a doctor that prescribes meds and actually pays attention and listens to my wife's concerns.. and she is making progress on her anxiety... so I think you CAN find mental health professionals that care and want to help and do the right thing.. but you need to be diligent and don't settle for anybody that you aren't comfortable with..

Damn, Dawg.

Americans should know about stuff like this.
Thank you for sharing more than most ever would.


#personalcourage
#peopoleoverpolicy

I’m not sure how I found this forum. Was reading about KS and linked here. I had to comment. I am a psychologist. The reference above to ‘victim blaming’ could not be more on point. Bullying and lack of support are so prevalent. For those already susceptible, the effects of such are complete hopelessness. Suicide for them appears to be the only viable solution.

Thanks for sharing Will


I have battled depression and anxiety for a long time also.

It is only at 44 years old that I can look back and realize what was going on and how it lead to many of my behaviors. I do take welbutrin and that is not a real powerful drug but it takes the edge off just enough to let me think for just a second before I react . I also have done a couple stints with counseling that has helped me to see how it has played a role in things I have done.

My wife has anxiety issues, at what point did your wife know she had to see someone?

I tried to clean this up and take all of the twitter stuff and other junk out to make it easier to read, hopefully I didn't remove any of the actual article..

CNN's Anthony Bourdain dead at 61
By Brian Stelter
Updated 8:30 AM ET, Fri June 8, 2018

New York (CNN)Anthony Bourdain, a gifted storyteller and writer who took CNN viewers around the world, has died. He was 61.

CNN confirmed Bourdain's death on Friday and said the cause of death was suicide.

"It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, Anthony Bourdain," the network said in a statement Friday morning. "His love of great adventure, new friends, fine food and drink and the remarkable stories of the world made him a unique storyteller. His talents never ceased to amaze us and we will miss him very much. Our thoughts and prayers are with his daughter and family at this incredibly difficult time."

Bourdain was in France working on an upcoming episode of his award-winning CNN series "Parts Unknown." His close friend Eric Ripert, the French chef, found Bourdain unresponsive in his hotel room Friday morning.
Asking for help

The suicide rate in the United States has seen sharp increases in recent years. It's now the 10th leading cause of death in the country, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Studies have shown that the risk of suicide declines sharply when people call the national suicide hotline: 1-800-273-TALK

There is also a crisis text line.

The lines are staffed by a mix of paid professionals and unpaid volunteers trained in crisis and suicide intervention. The confidential environment, the 24-hour accessibility, a caller's ability to hang up at any time and the person-centered care have helped its success, advocates say.

"Tony was an exceptional talent," CNN President Jeff Zucker said in an email to employees. "Tony will be greatly missed not only for his work but also for the passion with which he did it."

Stunned reactions to his death from viewers, fellow chefs, celebrities and others swept through social media Friday morning. Author and humorist John Hodgman recalled eating with Bourdain some 14 years ago.

"He was big even then, but he took time to sit with me in Chinatown to talk 'weird' food for a magazine piece I was writing. He taught me that our 'weird' is the world's delicious," Hodgman wrote on Twitter. "We ate chicken feet. The afternoon vibrated with life. RIP."

"I am shocked and deeply saddened," chef and "Queer Eye" star Antoni Porowski wrote on Twitter. "RIP to a father, partner, chef, writer, and incredibly talented man. ... Prayers for his loved ones."

Bourdain was a master of his crafts -- first in the kitchen and then in the media. Through his TV shows and books, he explored the human condition and helped audiences think differently about food, travel and themselves. He advocated for marginalized populations and campaigned for safer working conditions for restaurant staffs.

Along the way, he received practically every award the industry has to offer.

In 2013, Peabody Award judges honored Bourdain and "Parts Unknown" for "expanding our palates and horizons in equal measure."

"He's irreverent, honest, curious, never condescending, never obsequious," the judges said. "People open up to him and, in doing so, often reveal more about their hometowns or homelands than a traditional reporter could hope to document."

The Smithsonian once called him "the original rock star" of the culinary world, "the Elvis of bad boy chefs."

In 1999, he wrote a New Yorker article, "Don't Eat Before Reading This," that became a best-selling book in 2000, "Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly."

First, he hosted "A Cook's Tour" on the Food Network, then moved to "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations" on the Travel Channel. "No Reservations" was a breakout hit, earning two Emmy Awards and more than a dozen nominations.

In 2013 both Bourdain and CNN took a risk by bringing him to the news network still best known for breaking news and headlines. Bourdain quickly became one of the principal faces of the network and one of the linchpins of the prime-time schedule.

"We ask very simple questions: What makes you happy? What do you eat? What do you like to cook? And everywhere in the world we go and ask these very simple questions," he said, "we tend to get some really astonishing answers."

Bourdain's death happened after fashion designer Kate Spade hanged herself in an apparent suicide at her Manhattan apartment on Tuesday.
Suicide is a growing problem in the United States. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a survey Thursday showing suicide rates increased by 25% across the United States over nearly two decades ending in 2016. Twenty-five states experienced a rise in suicides by more than 30%, the government report finds.
--
CNN

Heartbreaking. I will say this. From a biological standpoint, the human race has not evolved quickly enough to adapt to the advances in technology, the expectations to be everything to everyone, and also to be the best friend, parent, sister, daughter, brother, etc that you can be. As for women, just think. Fifty years ago, raising children was the only priority. Now? Much Much more. And this suggests men should be superhuman in return. It’s naive to think that our brains have supplemented with correct adjustments in say serotonin, dopamine etc to supplement for the rapid changes we’ve been subjected to in society. Please get help. If you had a vitamin A deficiency, wouldn’t you seek treatment to make up for this depletion. Depression and anxiety are no different. It is biological in origin. Treat it or it is neglectful. Just like all treatments, trial and error or adjustments may be needed. But if you had cancer, would you not try different ways to save yourself? There is hope. There is help. And you have a future and a purpose.

I’m glad your wife found somebody reliable bro

What do you think some of the challenges are with rapidly developed tech and human biology?

What’s crazy is that the argument could be made that if it wasn’t for social issues and wasteful spending, the pace of new tech would actually be FASTER than it is today.

I agree, the saying money doesn't buy happiness is both true and false, imo. Yes a boat and sick ride will make you happy, but it is not true happiness. And a lot of times, what most people do not realize, ESPECIALLY with famous people or artist types more so, that their ART and styles etc, come a lot from their mentality. Again, look at the VAST majority of COMICS. I will tell you that most of them, probably suffer from some type of depression, or mental illness. It allows their minds to open up to different ways of thinking, then they use humor to cope with that way of thinking.

A lot of artist use those demons as a way into their art forms, and a lot of times, we as fans and admirers don't really see the signs, because they are just "eccentric" or "have a different look at life because of their wealth".



I don't think you are far off at all, other than I think the culture was always there. Some of the older guys will say, "well my father worked xxx hours, and fought in WWII/Vietnam/Korea etc., they had their job 40 years and married for 50, no problems." REally? How many beers did your dad drink a day? As children, we don't know or see our parents the way they really are. They are superhero's. Just because someone doest go on a rampage, or kill themselves, doesn't mean they are not having problems. I feel bad for the millions of people that have felt they have had to hide because it would be considered "weak" by others.

Wow, I am glad your wife has found some peace with her problems, and someone she can really open up too. As much as I am sure she does open up with you, I can tell you first hand, that there are just things we still cant tell our significant others - out of stupidity yes, its just a mental and even a physical block that we cant get over.

I agree that therapy is not for everyone, but it definitely needs to be an option for everyone, and everyone suffering should try it at the very least. It may not help some, but it definitely will not hurt. Unlike some meds can. Some use one, some use the other, some NEED to use both. It just depends on what works best for each person. To use the popular term around here, we are all "snowflakes" and not one type of treatment has the same reaction for another.

Here are my thoughts on the topic...,strictly opinion. Social media. It can be such a valuable tool to boost careers, establish important contacts, and so on. Many good, hardworking people embraced this as positive thing in the beginning. A method to easily promote themselves. As humane, mutually respectful people, many did not foresee the flip side. This platform also provided the optimal environment for assholes to prevail. There are lots of dark, tech savvy jerks who get their jollies by anonymously destroying others. And they have been very successful. We all know how US laws are slow to catch up, and with such a tech driven youth capable of building their own operating systems, the government would need to hire them to even figure out what the hell is going on. It will only get worse and until laws are changed we can expect more of this. Hell even the U.K. has surpassed us in the ‘right to forget’ law for those wanting to erase their names from the web. We are so worried about freedom of speech that we don’t want to approach setting limitations. Social media also allows for comparisons. People project these flawless, almost perfect personas. Those struggling compare themselves to this unattainable lie and the result is self harm. It’s a vicious cycle. We’ve got to be more reactive to problems in the digital world instead of claiming ignorance. People are dying and this is a health crisis. Those are just a couple of observations

Thank you for commenting in here. And I completely agree with the analogy you have made I believe, is spot on.

In your professional opinion, why do you think that as a society, we tend to not give these types of illness the attention they deserve? Especially for young people and celebrities? I again point to Robin Williams, because I feel that is most visible due to his persona and how contrast he was in the public eye, to the demons he was facing.

You probably know how I feel about our country's healthcare and how it applies to mental illness, so you also know that I'd never make fun of you for opening up about your own mental health.

If most people were honest about it, I would think that they'd discover we're all touched by mental illness one way or another, with ourselves or family members.

And I think it takes guts to open up about it. It shouldn't be the case, as I believe it should be talked about, but I also know that with our society, it does take guts to talk about. And that's why I think all the celebrities lately opening up about it is wonderful. It sheds a whole new light on it.

Kudos to you. The only thing I'll ever make fun of you for is your political views.

I truly do care. As a professional. I’ve experienced clinical depression stemming from panic attacks. Hit out of nowhere in my twenties. It’s debilitating. And why I chose my career when I could have chosen many more lucrative fields. I’m sorry for those who’ve had less than adequate treatment experiences. All patients should be afforded unconditional compassion and complete investment in your needs. But know there are many who will fight for you and walk with you.

Thank you, and not to get sidetracked and turn this into a gun debate - cause that is not what I am trying to do at ALL, but next time we argue about banning guns when it comes to mental health issues, this is why I am so adamant to how it is worded means a lot. Because someone like me, who has never had a physical episode, never has thought about suicide, never has had a harmful thought in my life - would end up getting my rights taken away simply because a doctor misdiagnosed me 12 years ago.

Not trying to argue or get into that debate here - we can go to the other thread. Just want you and others to take the above into consideration as to why some are vehemently against one size fits all stuff when it comes to things like that.

There is still a stigma. No doubt. And shame that comes with admitting you’ve endured what MANY MANY others have also endured. It’s still taboo to discuss in our society. It’s getting better but we’ve got a long way to go. Media likes to sensationalize the aftermath when celebrities or young people commit suicide. There’s no profit for them in promoting prevention. It’s all about the bottom line. Us commoners in mass numbers will have to be the change agents.

Aint that the truth! You are absolutely right, however is it the media, or us as a population that loves the to sensationalize it? I think its because those that have never suffered, cannot even begin to fathom what its like.

This is precisely why you must advocate for yourself. You need a trained mental health professional. IMO a psychiatrist is good for knowing the right meds. But only after consulting with a therapist who truly knows you. Who understands your history, your symptoms and how they manifest. Don’t settle for a 20 minute assessment. Establish a relationship with a counselor or psychologist. Let them refer you to a psychiatrist that they collaborate with to prescribe meds. The one stop shop is part of the culprit here.

I completely agree. And to answer, we as a society and media drive the sensationalism. All of the above

Lmao. I’m sorry for hijacking. Is this a sports forum? Haha

I also think that goes to the "victimizing" term. Some will look at my statement highlighted and think "willi just wants people to feel sorry for him. What can be so bad? Its just life, get over it weenie!"

Where as in reality, all we are saying (well what I am saying, I don't like to speak for others), is that walk a mile in my shoes. We just don't process things the same way, because of chemical imbalances, we cannot. For instance, the episode I had that I knew I had to make an appointment with my doctor.

I had broke with up the first girl I actually had feelings for, and it put me into a depressed state. At first, I thought it would pass, but weeks went on, and it did not. Now this is what lead to my issue, but wasn't the what made me open my eyes.

And here is the stigma part. I know its going to sound stupid, but its not. I was watching TV, and I was watching Armageddon. I had seen the movie 50 times probably. But for some reason, I just lost control at the end. I mean I really lost it emotionally, and I don't even really like Bruce Willis that much :), but at the end when the pictures were at the wedding. I was uncontrollable for about 2 hours afterwards. I remember my Dad (go figure) seeing me, and at first he was like "dude??" Then after awhile - about an hour - he said "lets go, were going to the doctors."

Like my dad, at first, we rely too much on first impressions of an instance.