It can be difficult to talk about your mental illness. While society as a whole seems to be coming around to the consensus that if you have one, definitely seek help in any way to deal with it. That being said, not everyone seems to have gotten the memo and are prone to saying insensitive and, occasionally, flat-out stupid things, as evidenced in the following stories.
Warning: Talk of mental illness and its effects. As stated on the sourced Reddit thread:
If anyone in this thread needs to reach out to talk with someone, please see some of the resources below:
Reddit user, u/OurMemeGulag, wanted those with depression to share who was the stupidest of the stupid when they asked:
People with depression, what is the most stupid thing someone ever said to you because of your mental illness?
How Is This Helpful?
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"No one likes to be around a depressed person."
"Trust me, I know; I'm around myself all the time."
The Family Who Gabs Together...
"Why pay to see a therapist when you can talk to your family about it?"
You mean the same family that will immediately tell everyone else what I just told them? I think I'll stick with an unbiased 3rd party who legally can't tell anyone what I just said.
This literally happened recently at work...
My (older) co-worker, talking about a former co-worker: Well, she's now seeing a therapist... you know, because she has no friends to talk to! *laughs*
My other (older) co-workers: *laughs hysterically*
And then they proceeded to pat each others back for having each other as friends so they have someone to talk to when they have problems.
It took all my self-control to stop myself from blowing up right then and there. I just can't with the ignorance.
Everyone Is Different
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"There are a lot of people that have it much worse" isn't very good advice.
It makes me sad for them also, and I feel worse about myself for feeling down in the first place because of my lack of perspective.
Not All Doctors Are Created Equal
"You're obviously not that depressed, you're sitting here talking and smiling". - a psychiatrist I saw only once
Of Course! Duh! Why Didn't I Think Of That?
Why don't you just be positive [sic]
Well boys, we did it, depression is no more.
...I Suppose
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Why are you sad?
You're not starving like other kids are. That's something to be happy about, right?
Never Again
"Don't talk to him he's depressing".
A colleague said this of me to another in front of me. Days after I had a what I thought to be a sincere conversation with her about my mental health problems. I don't talk to her anymore and she wonders why.
That's Just Cruel
"If I knew your mental health was this bad I would have never had this baby with you"
I'm so sorry.. That's just so rude..
Rude? It's practically heartless.
Who Knew? The Internet Can Help!
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"You won't get better by talking with online people that don't even know you"
I actually got better cause of "online people". Thank y'all for being wholesome
Can't Complain...Except About You.
"Your life is great. You should be more thankful of what you have and be positive".
And then proceeded to talk for half an hour about how much worse his life was and he wasn't depressed
Maybe The Wrong Thing To Focus On...
"Pull yourself together. People are starting to talk."
My former wife. At that very moment I was contemplating suicide.
Where Else Would It Come From?
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"It's all in your head".
No sh-t, it's not like I think I'm being attacked by some physical depression monster.
How do I get it out of my head, though?
There's /r/suicidewatch where well-meaning and sympathetic people will try and help, but be aware they aren't trained. If you're a teenager and struggling, there is /r/TeenageSuicideWatch, but also be aware they aren't trained. The befrienders website is a global list of local suicide help charities. Use it to find an organization in your country, you should be able to call or email them for free and they'll speak to you and try and help you without being judgmental.
If you or someone you know is struggling, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
To find help outside the United States, the International Association for Suicide Prevention has resources available at https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/
Tony Wood
Tony Wood
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People With Depression Share The Stupidest Thing Anyone Ever Said To Them About Mental Illness