[ev9]

It sounds like (or at least the title suggests that) the author would advocate this extreme approach to others? Perhaps I can advocate another approach:

If you're feeling signs of depression or panic attacks, seek out the help of a mental health professional.

There are real neurological and physical implications to the symptoms the author describes. Picking up and moving won't be an option to all, and may not work even for those who do have the option.

[vinceguidry]

I know a very good mental health professional, a trained psychologist with a Ph.D. She says (and I'm paraphrasing) that 99% of people's problems can be treated by getting away from sources of stress, and exercising. These things work much better than most forms of therapy, and most of her sessions involve convincing clients to do these simple, effective things.

So if you're having problems, going to Thailand is excellent medicine, if you can afford it.

[ev9]

Sounds like a safer conclusion for a mental health professional to come to than a layman, given proper data. That is, I trust your friend's opinion on this topic more than yours or mine, but in more advanced cases I'm sure she'd prefer to see the patient than they skip her counsel.

The technical community has a higher than normal prevalence of mental illness. We need to learn to put more stock in real, educated, professional advice on these topics than blog and forum-based accounts of self-prescribed solutions.

[vinceguidry]

If someone wants to see a professional, she definitely wouldn't discourage them, but she also would rate highly most individual's attempts to fix their own problems using simple means.

Advanced cases are rare, and if you've lived your life up to now without any major mental health problems, chances are your recent problems aren't major either. So by all means, take a vacation and see how you feel afterwards. If you're still feeling shitty, set up an appointment.

[DanBC]

> The technical community has a higher than normal prevalence of mental illness.

What makes you say this?

> We need to learn to put more stock in real, educated, professional advice on these topics than blog and forum-based accounts of self-prescribed solutions.

Yes. See also any thread about food.

[ev9]

>> The technical community has a higher than normal prevalence of mental illness.

> What makes you say this?

http://www.tablexi.com/blog/2013/04/developers-and-depressio...

>> We need to learn to put more stock in real, educated, professional advice on these topics than blog and forum-based accounts of self-prescribed solutions.

> Yes. See also any thread about food.

Food? Food sources? Cooking? Farming? What are you talking about?

[DanBC]

> I know of no formal study, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the rates of bipolar and depression amongst software developers are double that of the general population.

So, you're just guessing about rates of mental illness among the technical community?

> Food?

Yes, food. The threads are full of weird anecdote and semi-mystical bollocks.

[nwh]

I second this.

[enscr]

As Batman said, "face your fears"