Depression and mental health disorders are often times difficult to understand and comprehend (especially if you don’t personally suffer from them). While it’s easy to understand a physical illness because you can see it, it’s often hard for others to understand an unseen mental illness.However, just because you can’t see the disease with the naked eye doesn’t make it any less real. For years, the stigma against mental illness has been that they’re easy to overcome and many times, people are exaggerating or choosing to suffer through the illness. But, these stigmas are what make combating mental illnesses so difficult. If people don’t take mental health issues seriously, then doctors and scientists won’t fund research on ways to treat them. It’s a never-ending cycle.
Comedian Andy Richter recently spoke out against a Twitter user who claimed that “depression is a choice,” and went on a powerful and insightful rant that really does hold power. He started off saying “go fuck yourself,” because – well, it’s insulting to tell someone who is sick that they are choosing to be sick.
Oh really? Well “go fuck yourself” is a directive. https://t.co/7W9WOSdnsT
— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) November 17, 2017
But, he decided that just insulting the person who tweeted the offensive comment, he decided to explain further why it is offensive and how people with depression don’t actually choose to be depressed.
Quote-responding to this tweet may seem like shooting fish in a barrel, & yet it is 30 mins later & I have pulled over after school drop-off to respond further because I am angry.
— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) November 17, 2017
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I have been followed by an ever-present amorphous sadness for almost my entire life. I am 51 yrs old. It varies in strength from a casual unresolvable suspicion that I will never find the joy that others do in a sunset, to the feeling that being dead might a respite & a kindness
— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) November 17, 2017
I’ve been on meds for decades. I’m a devout believer in the talking cure of therapy & it’s structure & hope & absolutely life-saving sense of progress. I have a successful career. I’m in love w my wife of 27 yrs, & my 2 kids are the best ppl I know. My life is full. I am lucky
— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) November 17, 2017
And I will still reach the end of my life having walked through most of it with an emotional limp. I do not wallow in self-pity. No one did this to me. It is just how it is. I am just unlucky.
— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) November 17, 2017
Richter also added other offensive comments people often use and explained why they are offensive, too.
“Depression is a choice” = “your pain is your fault”
“You can overcome this if you just try hard enough” = “Your pain is making me uncomfortable. Please shut up.”— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) November 17, 2017
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If you are unburdened by depression, real true depression, count yourself lucky. Keep your quick fixes to yourself. This is the kind of bullshit that kills people. Learn, then speak. Or just be lucky and quiet.
— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) November 17, 2017
Richter’s rant is actually one that is incredibly real and raw. As well, it puts the depression argument into perspective, as his profession is comedy – one which people associate with happiness and laughter. It showcases that people don’t choose depression, depression chooses us and sometimes we can’t do anything about it. We don’t always have things to be unhappy about like Richter explained, but it doesn’t make the sadness within us go away.