1356: Well Enough

[cheekymonkey]

It sounds like Lucas has a million excuses for not getting help, and not helping himself. I've known way too many people like this who, for whatever reason, are too lazy or afraid to initiate positive change. It was driving me crazy hearing so much resistance on his part. No wonder he's so fucking depressed. He's making the conscious decision to be depressed. Ugh. Terrible guest. I'd go nuts if I had to interact with someone like that all the time.

[asunseeker]

Originally Posted by cheekymonkey

It sounds like Lucas has a million excuses for not getting help, and not helping himself. I've known way too many people like this who, for whatever reason, are too lazy or afraid to initiate positive change. It was driving me crazy hearing so much resistance on his part. No wonder he's so fucking depressed. He's making the conscious decision to be depressed. Ugh. Terrible guest. I'd go nuts if I had to interact with someone like that all the time.

Ok Lucas. Remember how i said that sometimes the KATG forum feedback could be warm and nurturing but other feedback can be a little pointed? This is an example. Its an open forum and my suggestion is that you take any comment with a grain of salt since we all post anonymously and it is so easy to be less diplomatic when you aren't delivering the message in person.

[Junkenstein]

i actually expected worse. the forums have never been easy on depression in the past.

lucas knows, hes been here since the old days.

[Cretaceous Bob]

Let's not try to pretend that somebody's just being an arbitrary dick. If you're going to ask people to understand the mindset of a depressed person, you're required to understand the mindset of someone who's not familiar with depression.

[asunseeker]

Originally Posted by Junkenstein

i actually expected worse. the forums have never been easy on depression in the past.

lucas knows, hes been here since the old days.

But listening....Lucas sounds fragile and i don't want some stupid KATG forum post to push him to a worse place. Maybe i'm a softy but i really liked him from this podcast and the thought that he would be so depressed to do something awful made me feel compelled to post because normally, I'm a KATG listener who doesn't bother with the forums. They can be a huge time suck. Check my profile. I"ve been a member for a while but rarely post. Till this podcast. There was something about this show that made me want to give Lucas a virtual hug and point him in a direction. Frankly, depression sucks.

[Junkenstein]

Originally Posted by Cretaceous Bob

Let's not try to pretend that somebody's just being an arbitrary dick. If you're going to ask people to understand the mindset of a depressed person, you're required to understand the mindset of someone who's not familiar with depression.

you posted stuff from the point of view of someon whos' not familiar with depression and genrally understood the discussion.

saying a depressed person is too lazy to get better is just a sing of purposeful indifference.

you're not a dick, bob. i know you try hard to root for the contrarian cause, but youre not.

[Blitzgal]

Originally Posted by Junkenstein

saying a depressed person is too lazy to get better is just a sing of purposeful indifference.

And don't forget s/he also added that Lucas is "making the conscious decision to be depressed" AND called his/her post "tiny violin."

Hey cheekymonkey, it's a brain chemistry thing, you fucking halfwit.

[asunseeker]

Originally Posted by Blitzgal

And don't forget s/he also added that Lucas is "making the conscious decision to be depressed" AND called his/her post "tiny violin."

Hey cheekymonkey, it's a brain chemistry thing, you fucking halfwit.

You are so much better at being succinct. I'm way too diplomatic.

[Cretaceous Bob]

Originally Posted by Junkenstein

you posted stuff from the point of view of someon whos' not familiar with depression and genrally understood the discussion.

saying a depressed person is too lazy to get better is just a sing of purposeful indifference.

you're not a dick, bob. i know you try hard to root for the contrarian cause, but youre not.

I didn't say that, I know that's not what's being said, and I'm not identifying with this person.

If you're going to ask for understanding from someone who doesn't understand, you need to be understanding of someone who doesn't understand. It's a matter of giving what you're asking for.

I'm not saying not taking brain chemistry into account isn't wrong, but I'm saying that immediately vilifying that person and discounting what they say as dickish antagonism isn't the proper way to handle their opinion, especially when you're asking for people to be so attentive to motivational mental conditions.

[poingjam]

Originally Posted by cheekymonkey

It sounds like Lucas has a million excuses for not getting help, and not helping himself. I've known way too many people like this who, for whatever reason, are too lazy or afraid to initiate positive change. It was driving me crazy hearing so much resistance on his part. No wonder he's so fucking depressed. He's making the conscious decision to be depressed. Ugh. Terrible guest. I'd go nuts if I had to interact with someone like that all the time.

Finally! All the warm, sunny positivity in this thread was giving me sunburn. A dark cloud is useful sometimes.

Thanks for the concern, but y'all don't have to worry about me getting upset over a forums post. I may get mad over one (didn't over this, mostly excited that I finally got a hater), but I'm generally not so badly affected by people I don't know.

Cheekymonkey, I get what you're saying, and I can't really argue with you. The way I feel and the way I believe my mind works is what I said on the show, and if you see it differently, hell, you may be right. I was convinced for years that I was stupid, and learned as an adult that I'm not. Maybe I'm just convinced that I'm depressed. Probably not, but maybe.