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[lordcooper]

How about you just go hang out with someone who's depressed instead of getting suckered in by Big Marker & Tape?

[freeformschooler]

How about you just go hang out with someone who's depressed instead of getting suckered in by Big Marker & Tape?

Sometimes I try to count the levels of satire in your posts but I am always off by one or two.

[Kagus]

I can honestly say I wasn't expecting this strong of a negative reaction to this.


I grew up with a father who believed (still does, to some extent) that the only reason I was depressed was because I had decided to be depressed.  This caused no end of frustration for the both of us, as I couldn't figure out how to make him understand what I was really going through and he couldn't understand why I never "just stopped" being depressed.  Over time it got hammered into my head that the way I felt was my own fault, that nobody else could change or help change my way of thinking, and that it wasn't even that big of a deal to begin with.  Basically, that the cure for depression was to stop acting depressed and to just get on with my life.  I'm still dealing with that mindset today, even though I have now finally in my twenties started to seek (and get) help.

I do realize that being personally, individually recognized, appreciated and understood is what helps the most.  But I also know how uncommon that is.

Maybe I have a slightly different way of looking at things, what with being in Norway.  People don't talk to each other here unless they've known each other since junior high.  As a general rule you do not look at or acknowledge any person on the street you do not personally know, and you certainly don't talk to them.  Trying to find someone who can and will be able to look you in the eyes and support you directly is a slim-to-none chance, and it doesn't help any when you feel so hated and looked-down-on by the rest of the world that you isolate yourself more and more from human contact.  And when you live with the idea that, really, nobody cares about you or how terribly you're handling such a minor and unremarkable "disease", I just thought that having something to show support, regardless of how impersonal or easy it may be, would be appreciated.  But hey, clearly I don't speak for everyone when I say that I'd appreciate seeing someone go through the tiny effort required to look silly and mar their appearance for a day, just to show that they spent a sympathetic second to think about someone they don't even know but who they recognize needs the support, rather than not making the effort because "depression isn't even a real disease".


Is a black X the best way of showing this?  No, I don't really think so.  I actually think it's amazingly insensitive with the "alternative" to putting it on your face; which is to mark your wrist.  However, it is something that's semi-organized to the point that people might actually do it.


But I guess I was wrong about this making a generally positive difference.  So, come the twelfth, I personally will appreciate the people I see who've done this or something similar.  But I won't do it myself.

Suits me just fine, really.  I've got a checkup with my psychiatrist that day.

[Lectorog]

I think awareness and acknowledgement are good things. This does almost the opposite. People make one small gesture on one day and forget about it. They think they've helped, that they've done their part, and are less motivated to do any more. This was created with good intentions, but it's an excessively trivial campaign. I don't think this is a terrible thing - like I said, awareness helps at least a bit - and I support anyone who actually cares, but it's really so much more to talk to someone who looks like they need it.

Also, shit like this makes me want to kill myself that little bit more every time I see it. That so many people think like that, and think it helps.

Would it be in too poor taste to put a green check mark on my cheek on Wednesday? I'm still trying to figure out why I'm still alive, so maybe it will help get people to explain it to me.

(EDIT: I apologize in advance if this just seems like disconnected criticism. I intended/tried to contribute, but I'm having a bit of trouble organizing thoughts.)

[Kogan Loloklam]

I do think green checkmarks are better, but if there's one thing the yellow ribbon campaign taught me, it's that "awareness drives" often become worthless quickly.

Cymbalta's campaign seems more effective than black x though.
Depression hurts, stick-figured people get haunted by black scribbles.

Pretty simple.

[Lectorog]

Oh, I meant for the green check mark to be pro-suicide (which would still raise depression awareness). I don't see a problem with ending your life if you think it's for the best. Though it's obviously better to try help (socially and professionally) first.

[Kagus]

Thing is, it's not just the depressed individual who is affected by them taking their life.  It's an incredibly disturbing event to know someone, even quite distantly, who has committed suicide.

I suppose they won't be around any more to care about everyone they left behind, but it still seems like a particularly dick move.  That's pretty much the main reason I've never outright attempted, I'm sticking around for the sake of everyone who was born with or has developed an attachment to me.

The closest I've gotten to actually trying to check out early was the day when I described this feeling to my parents, and my dad said that if I was just going to go around moping all the time then I shouldn't bother staying around for his sake.  I managed to call my shrink and get an immediate appointment, because some last-measure warning system kicked in and I really felt afraid that I was going to do it.

[Lectorog]

Suicide is quite selfish because of the way it makes those around you feel. But they are feeling that way selfishly due to their loss. I've always viewed mourning as purely selfish; I don't know anyone who believes people they care about will suffer more after death.