[jklinger410]

Take some hallucinogenic drugs (look them up on erowid first). Write some poetry. Make some art. Stay up late. Get drunk. Purge your demons. Call your parents, call your best friend, vent. If you like to be alone be alone. If you like people go find some people.

Watch some art films. Chain smoke cigarettes. Go for a walk. Play hooky from work. Go thrift shopping and buy yourself a new outfit. Plot and scheme on things that you actually want.

Don't listen to any of this advice. Do something drastic.

[rmxt]

I get that you're trying to be edgy, but none of those are full-on substitutes for the the results of evidence-backed medical trials. They are great in conjunction with standard pharmacological and therapeutic approaches, but might end up pushing someone already on the brink further into the abyss of depression. They might not have good familial relationships or friends to fall back on, or they might have issues with non-hallucinogenic drugs as it is.

[jgrowl]

I feel like his point was that OP needs to make an effort to find something that works and that no amount of online advice will likely help.

[jklinger410]

Thank you.

[giftandgourmet]

You owe it to yourself to take the meds. Keep trying different ones until you find what works for you. This is what I was finally able to do and I've gotten my life back. If your current psychiatrist doesn't seem to help, seek out a new one. You are meant to live a fulfilling life with love and happiness. And don't worry about getting off the meds. Your body needs them as much as it needs food and air. Enable yourself to have what you need. I pray you find your way out of the darkness. : )

[jklinger410]

I'm not trying to be edgy at all. I have anxiety disorder and personally suffered through depression. I spent years on medications that didn't work.

Sometimes you can't fix depression with pills. There are alot of mights in this situation because none of us know what OP is actually going through.

I would kindly ask that you consider my advice from personal experience and not downplay it so much. I never suggested OP not take medication or seek out a doctor, I was just giving other, more personal advice that may help them in their situation.

>They might not have good familial relationships or friends to fall back on, or they might have issues with non-hallucinogenic drugs as it is.

I listed a bunch of different things they can do, with ors and ands all throughout. Also, hallucinogenic drugs have very strong evidence backed-trials in their favor. Of course as long as you do it in a safe situation.

I was not, in any way trying to be edgy. It's awfully offensive that you and anyone who down-voted me would think that. The guy is already a programmer, he's clearly not benefiting from the ultra-safe sterile environment that the HN crowd constantly promotes.

Sometimes you have to get dirty. Sometimes you have to make mistakes. Sometimes you have to drop shrooms and find yourself in the middle of someone else's living room dance rave party.

Maybe it's not for OP, maybe it is. Maybe none of the other advice in this thread will work for them, either. But regardless my advice is just as fucking valid as anyone elses. Coming from the perspective of a person who, as I said, went through this, still goes through this at times, and who medication has had little effect on.

But, if you want to solve his depression with condescending suggestions of medical help and medications, back that up with medical journals and statistics, that's your prerogative.

//edit Also for more clarity, when I said "don't listen to this advice" I was actually referring not only to my comment, but everyone's. I wrote that when there was like 2 comments on this thread. I'm not trying to demean anyone else's opinion. Why would I do that? I'm not an asshole.

[rmxt]

My apologies for the dismissive tone in my first post. I can't and didn't downvote any of your posts. I misinterpreted your "don't listen to this advice" to be the strict opposite of what your explanation was: "don't listen to everyone else, but DO listen to me." I too (as many of us have) have been in similar shoes re: depression and anxiety. Finding what works for each of us as individuals is the most important thing. I agree with the potential therapeutic benefits of hallucinogens, but I also am a firm believer in the trial-backed science of medicine and therapy as the first and best line of defense. "Ultra-safe sterile" or not, it's the best answer for the broadest range of people. Call me a Vulcan, but that's what I'd suggest for people that are on "the edge", instead of "getting dirty" or "make mistakes", both of which might help, but also might let people slide further into the abyss. At least with medicine and their "black-box" labels, you are under the monitoring of a trained professional that can catch and negative side-effects of the medication. Best of luck on your quest to get and stay better.

[jklinger410]

Thank you for the response. No hard feelings. :)

[lotsofthrows]

It's taken me a while to write back, because new HN accounts are severely rate limited.

The spirit of your post(s) is well taken. Also, I watched the shit out of the magic school bus (which is, at least, what "sometimes you have to get dirty. sometimes you have to make mistakes" reminded me of)