H3H3 On Treating Depression 

When Ethan said he didn't even listen to music anymore that hit me. When I was at my worst in depression, I couldn't even enjoy music. It was so strange. I didn't even like jokes anymore.

What I hate these days are how much depression and anxiety have become so romanticized. Mf's legit think being depressed is sitting alone in your room and listening to Joji... smh

trying to deal with depression myself. Knowing that others are going through it helps me keep going

How I treated my depression, from being suicidal to feeling okay: 1. Change of environment- school was causing my depression. The high pressured environment wasn't good for me and in retrospect I wish I had left sooner. If you know in your gut that an environment is causing you harm, if you can, leave it. 2. Anti-depressants- they didn't make me happy, but they allowed me to function enough to get out of bed and go to therapy, as well as other positive changes. 3. Therapy- you may not find the right therapist for you on your first try, but that doesn't mean therapy isn't for you! It took me 4 different therapists to find the right one. Cognitive behavioural therapy wasn't for me, as I felt like it was treating current symptoms and not getting to the root of my problems (it also doesn't work if you're stubborn, which I am). Talk to your therapist about what works for you. You also have to work hard at therapy. I would dissociate in the middle of sessions and I was wasting 20 minutes of the hour I got a week. Even if it's hard, try and stay focused. 4. Healthy lifestyle- more sleep, exercise, and healthy eating. On days where I felt especially depressed, I knew that going to the gym would provide some relief. Lack of sleep is a cause of depression. I associated eating junk food with a strong sense of guilt, and I'd bully myself over it. Now, when I eat cleaner I feel pride and happiness instead, changing my relationship with food and how it made me feel about myself. 5. No. More. Depression. Jokes. Those "lol I want to kill myself" jokes are doing you more harm than you realise. You may see them as a coping mechanism, but they're actually reinforcing negativity and low self-esteem. Changing them to something silly like "lol I want to go to sleep" actually helps more than you think it might. 6. Deleting social media. I kept looking at people I knew in the past, wondering why their life was so much better than mine. Then I realised that their lives weren't as great as they seemed- they were just blasting the best bits of it, leaving out all the shitty stuff we all go through. Deleting apps like snapchat and Instagram has helped me stop comparing myself to others. I think tackling depression should be seen as a holistic experience- there is no one, quick cure. Recovering from depression takes a lot of time, energy, and hard work, but I believe you can do it. The hardest step to make is always the first.

"im always at war with myself in my head" hits too hard

When you make these short bits about depression, its literally a therapy session for me. You say everything I want to hear.

It’s really beautiful to me that Hila has stayed with him through this. I’ve been struggling from depression for years now, and my ex recently broke up with me, because he just couldn’t be there for me..

I have depression, yet I’m always happy when around my friends. I always make jokes and play around, but as soon as I’m alone, I feel like the true me comes out and i feel like I’m going down a spiral of stress and loss. Im either dancing around and cheering, or I’m contemplating suicide all by myself in a dark room.

Awesome video... Thanks for talking about anxiety & depression. I really hope that your therapist visit goes well!

I've suffered from depression and I could say, it's called rock bottom for a reason. As long as you don't take the final step ( suicide ) from rock bottom, your only way is up from there. It's that polarizing, yet the journey is really slow. You get waves of depression from every minutes to every hour of the day, from every day to every other day and from every other day to every week. Each waves become further apart. That is when you're recovering. You're still depressed, just less. Depression is a really tricky demon. It makes sadness your comfort zone. That is scary. You have to learn to combat it or the more comfortable you feel being sad, the more dangerous it is .

Papa Bless

It's kinda blowing my mind how much Ethan's symptoms and experiences match mine. You're inspiring me to finally go set an appointment with my doctor. Papa bless

Depression is so difficult because it’s a mental illness that requires healthy lifestyle changes in order to be effectively combatted, and yet it attacks that very desire to want to improve. I had a friend describe it super well: depression makes you feel like you’re alone on island where not only do you feel isolated and that no one can reach/understand you, but that you’re stuck and have no means of getting off that island. The apathy and hopelessness of depression is the most crippling aspect, imo, since it keeps you from seeing the value in not just yourself, but in stuff that can help you. Medication is incredibly helpful with depression, especially when it goes hand and hand with anxiety. It helps you reach a normal baseline that gets rid of the fog of doubt, self criticism, and hopelessness so that you can think more rationally. At the same time, medication isn’t the end all be all, and the biggest change that I’ve noticed has helped me is the conscious choice to get better and not let my depression define me. It’s harder to do on some day than others, but depression is something that requires you to prioritize your self care and health, otherwise it just grows and feeds off your unhealthy habits. Thanks so much for talking about this topic Ethan! As someone who also has depression and anxiety, it’s super refreshing to hear this being talking about more

Ethan, you are a very lucky man, to have Hila. Very patient woman :-). Get well soon, buddy.

Hila is spot-on. People who don’t suffer from any form of REAL (not trying yo minimize anyones mental states here) depression tend to conflate generally depressed feelings that most people feel with clinically diagnosable depression. This tends to stunt growth of our knowledge and discussion of this topic.

Watching this now after finally getting prescribed Lexapro. I have really been suffering for a long time but the past 3 years have gotten worse and worse. I have been following H3 since Israel days and seeing Ethans journey and where he is today has saved my life. Almost everyone in my life stigmatizes medication and his vulnerability about his journey is so relatable and gives me the courage I need to start mine. Thank you so much Ethan ❤

Ethan, I like your hoodie.

Depression is basically a crack head breaking into your head stealing all your happiness.

Dude I was trying to find the words to describe exactly what real depression is and then you said them..6:18. I am recovering from my 2nd major spinal surgery, which has left me unable to work, with a family that shit is hard. I have been battling chronic spine issues for years and have had major issues with depression myself. That shit is real and hard to deal with! Kudos for even saying anything on RU-vid man, that shit takes balls to admit. Papa Bless!

6 years ago I was feeling bothered, less focused, and I guess just miserable. Went and saw a doctor, and got put on medication for depression. Tried it for 2 months, no results, starting to feel hopeless as my life began to fall apart.(failing school suddenly, without a job, relationships going stale.) I decided to stop the meds and just try to deal with it, no drugs, no councilors or psychologist, just keep going. 1.5 years later my life changed dramatically, stopped going to school because I couldn’t stand to be around people, got a night job so I wouldn’t have to be around people, started drinking every morning after work so I could get past my insomnia and sleep, and finally I started using illicit drugs. I knew I was hurting myself, but it felt better than having to be myself everyday. Now 4.5 years later I’ve gotten over my drug addiction, stopped drinking, and I’m back in school. I did all this because I met a wonderful woman that I want to spend the rest of my life with, she helped to create the change I need. HOWEVER, after 6 years and going through what I have, and coming out alive, I still have those dark, anxious feelings that started this all 6 to 7 years ago. Recently during this Fall semester, I stayed in bed for 4 days straight, only left my room to use the restroom, graze at the open fridge, chain smoke cigarettes, and go buy more cigarettes.(I started smoking a pack a day/every other day 5 years ago). For 4 days, I didn’t shower, didn’t brush my teeth, didn’t talk to my family. I just felt it impossible to leave my room, until I started getting blisters in my mouth from my suddenly poor hygiene, and excessive cigarette consumption. I decided to see a doctor finally after 6 years. He talked to me about God, and being a man, and doing what I have to, but he also recommended I get treatment with antidepressants. I was skeptical of drugs, but I feel like these are making a difference. I stopped smoking cigarettes after 6 years, and I’m working a day job now. The only thing left to work on is my anxiety, and concentration. Generalized anxiety and Depression are things that really affect my life everyday and have for years. But giving up and dying because of this is a loss I’m not willing to put my loved ones through. Good luck Ethan.

So many people will say their depressed because they enjoy the attention and the “edginess” involved with internal struggle that often times people who are truly depressed get ignored. Just scrolling down through these comments I see people saying things like, “depression squad where u at” with hundreds of likes . These kinda comments almost mock depression as people who like the sound of being depressed or are sad occasionally like to group themselves with the real mental state.

I've had depression for like 5 years. I first noticed it when I was about 11 or 12 and it's got worse and worse ever since. So thank you for talking about this because it took me a really long time to do anything about it - in fact it took me almost killing myself to do so. I needed to see this when I was younger, so I hope someone like me who needs this video sees it and gets some help. You put this really well Ethan. Thank you

No, taking anti-depressants is not a sign of weakness, it's a TREATMENT to level out your emotions

AUDIENCE: DO NOT SELF DIAGNOSE. SEE A PROFESSIONAL.

Just a quick message to those who have commented that depression can be cured by diet, exercise, etc: yes, if your depression or 'sadness' is lifestyle or situation-based, then changing your routine can make all the difference. If depression has been caused by a chemical imbalance, as in bipolar disorder, a bit of exercise isn't going to help.

I've always been part of the get over it camp but your story has opened my eyes. I don't understand how it happens but the thought of feeling constant negative emotions for 2 years would drive me insane. I'm glad you're on the road to recovery.

You have no idea how much I needed to hear this today. Feels a bit better to know someone else has or is dealing with anxiety. Thank you💟

Depression and anxiety almost killed me a few years ago. To avoid depression, you need to find things to look forward to. Try things you haven't done before, create plans to do fun things in the future, or find ways to help others and create a meaningful purpose for yourself. Me personally, meds didn't help me at all, they just kept reminding me of how something was wrong with me. When I started feeling better I started forgeting that I even had meds, then people would tell me "oh, well the doctor gave those to you so you should take them" and then I would go back to feeling like crap. Eventually I faced the fact that I was a weak person, and had to take action to change who I am. And believe it or not, it negatively affects the other people around you, in my case I lost most of my friends because they didn't want to put up with my negativity, and they were right in doing so, and I lost respect from my family because I did a lot of bad things they wouldn't have expected me to do. I'm not going to say things got better, because the world around me hasn't changed (or has even gotten worse), but I took action to make positive changes and became a fighter instead of a loser. Everyone has it in them to make a change in their life, and the obstacles in place are there to test you and make you stronger.

I feel like a lot of people automatically assume depression = suicidal, and I feel like that’s why a lot of people don’t get there diagnosed ( please no hate, just my p.o.v )

I relate on such a deep level to how you feel. I’ve felt this way for years. In fact I watched this 3 years ago as a 19 year old and related then as well. On the surface for the most part things look fine- I’ve recently graduated from a good university, headed to a graduate degree, have work experience, workout almost daily, have maintained strong relationships with my family, etc. I even help my dad and sister who have gone through mental health issues get back on track, see therapists that have really helped, etc. I feel like I can never admit my own issues and years keep slipping by. Sometimes I have good periods but over time I feel desensitized and generally numb, but I push myself to develop a shell to be more confident appearing, make a good living, and function, but I feel broken on a deep level. Sometimes I look in the distance at it feels blurry and I feel like a different person. Sometimes I eat myself up thinking about stupid past experiences and mistakes or worrying about what other people think of me. My parents gave me and my siblings the world but I feel like they worked too hard so I didn’t get the love and family dynamic that brings deeper happiness from a young age. And I feel like if I admit these problems then I will just stress out my family and seem weaker. I’m doing ok all thing considered. I’ve gotten into reading and playing golf lately which makes me feel better, and deleting a lot of my social media. But I hope I can do better looking forward. I long for the simple life you mentioned but at the same time I’ve been so overexposed to the modern life style that it’s just an illusion. Imagine just surviving and keeping your family alive and well day to day instead of thinking about social prestige and wealth and all this other bull shit.

I’m so glad there’s someone like you to bring these things to light. We aren’t broken.

Imagine having chronic depression , social anxiety and a terrible stutter

Dude Ethan’s wording on his emotions are a legit reflection of my emotions.

I'm 16 and am in the process of recovering from severe anxiety and depression issues and SSRI's and Therapy have been the best things for me. I had been living with it since I was around 8 years old and had managed to get through most of my schooling life being at the top of my classes and playing sports and having a good social life whilst holding it all inside but had to get help at the beginning of this year due to coming so close to taking my life so many times. Throughout the past 10 months listening to music, spending time with my girlfriend and friends has helped me through some of the hardest times of my life. You really learn that your education and other things that are meant to be prioritized really don't compare in importance to recovering from mental illness because what is really all worth if you have everything you could ever want and are still miserable and feel incomplete. If anyone else is suffering and going through tough times with mental illness please stay strong and reach out for help because things will get better in due time, life is worth living (:

i called off and quit my job today and ive been feeling at my worst for the past few years so i looked up videos of ethan talking about depression bc i just needed his words to comfort me

Hearing Ethan opening up about struggling with depression has opened my eyes truly that ANYONE can battle depression such an important conversation 💕💕

That “bad high” is probably Depersonalization.

I’ve been waiting for this clip to be posted. The things Ethan said here, though flawed in a few areas (even though the podcast is 100% factual), was incredibly insightful and beautifully put. People don’t talk about this stuff enough and there’s way too much stigma around an issue that so many people suffer from. Don’t be afraid to speak up and seek help. Make the first move, no matter how difficult it is, to help yourself climb out of your emotional hole.

wHy DoNt YoU JuSt Be HaPpY

Thank you Ethan for showing that I am not the only one going through this, everything has been really difficult for me lately

I don’t know if I’m depressed homie but I can relate. Just know that normalizing it and being the same great content creator you are, you’re helping people you’ll NEVER meet and that’s the most wholesome thing you can do as a human. Stay healthy friend

this is honestly the best part of ethans podcast, when they are just airing out their feelings being completely honest. Very heartwarming, Thanks h3

Porygon, I choose you!

This is such a refreshing video. I genuinely feel lighter after watching it and just listening to you guys talk it out. I am not a clinically depressed individual, I have been diagnosed with situational depression, which from my understanding is something quite common and is beatable. Basically it is what the name says: when something occurs in my life that deeply affects my emotions or causes me great stress, I will go into a depressed state. In my latest bout with this depressed state, I was so crippled by it, I quit my job, I stayed in my bed for a good two months, I cut off all my friends, in fact I missed my best friends wedding because I couldn’t get out of bed, I could hardly eat, and I genuinely lost a few months of my life because I just couldn’t live. I had never sought treatment before this because I felt like I didn’t deserve the help. I felt that there are other people out there suffering much worse than me and I was not worthy of a professionals time and effort. Worse than that, I felt like my life was not worth saving. One day I did have a moment of clarity where I realized how short life is, what a miracle it is to even be alive in the first place, and that one day when I’m old I would look back on those months I wasted in my bed and wish I’d done something better with them. And more important than that, I looked at my parents and I realized that I am their baby, and when I was born, they wanted the whole world for me. And it hurt inside to know that it was breaking their hearts to watch their baby waste away like this. This was a huge turning point for me, and I finally got the help I needed. In the beginning I was on medication to help me get through the worst of it, but in my situation, I found talking to someone was extremely helpful. And not just anyone, not just someone who would say “don’t worry, it’s going to be okay,” but someone who could actually tell me WHY it was going to be okay and how we were going to get there. Talking to a professional was, for me, the best decision I ever made. It may not be for everyone, but I definitely agree with Ethan that you really have nothing to lose by trying it. For anyone who takes the time to read this, if you’re suffering, whether it be a severe case or a mild case, it’s not a competition. Everyone deserves help. Everyone. And all of us are somebody’s baby, and all of us are worthy of happiness in the span of our lifetime. I really appreciate this video. Thank you for discussing such an important subject because you’ve reached someone today. You reached me. Thank you.

There was 2 physiatrists who refused to treat me because I barely talked, but like how can I give you an answer if you're not asking the right questions? They would ask what's wrong with u how can I help u? In my head I'm like idk that's why I'm here?! Ive been diagnosed with selective mutism, social anxiety, and depression. The scary part is I've been depressed my whole 26 years of life, its normal for for me, it's a part of me... It IS me. Even when it's dormant it's still an underlying feeling. I remember being at my worst just existing I'm just over the feeling of sadness or nothing at all I just wanted to the darkness to consume me already

A thing my therapist said that really helped me is that "anxiety is living and worrying about the future, depression is living and worrying about the past". It's such a simple idea, and I'm not sure why it helped me exactly, maybe just to compartmentalize all my thoughts.

The brain fog/bad high feeling you’re describing sounds a lot like depersonalization/derealization. It’s actually a pretty common side effect of an anxiety disorder. Anxiety is often paired with depression, though most who suffer from higher levels of anxiety aren’t aware of their depression. Of course, I’m not trying to diagnose you. I’m not a doctor, I’m just a fellow anxiety sufferer. I’ve been dealing with severe panic disorder w/ agoraphobia for most of my adult life. For me, derealization came later in my life, and it was a very scary experience. I thought that I was losing my mind. Earlier this year, I made the decision to start taking medication. Since then, I’ve slowly come out of the thick of both anxiety and depression, and I can function well enough as an adult now. Everyone will have different experiences and results, this just happens to be mine. There is nothing weak about taking medication in order to function. I’ve personally never experienced any stigmatization for my experiences, but I have had people comment in the past, telling me how “brave” I am for being open about my experiences. I just roll my eyes, because I have enough shit on my plate, with my own fluctuating mental state, that I can’t be bothered with the opinions of others who can’t comprehend that struggle. Mental health is vital for our survival, and regardless of how we get there, the only thing that is important is that we reach a point where we can thrive against the odds. I’m glad you’re bringing this topic to the table. Thank you.

I want to say that I have never heard anyone describe exactly how I feel. I got hospitalised over 5 years ago and I have now been clinically depressed for 5 years. Everyone always act like just get over it. But to hear someone describe what I'm going through makes me feel like I'm not alone. Thank you Ethan and Hila

6:44-7:10 I can relate to this too much. I feel so irritated by everything and I hate it.

yeah i was diagnosed with depression and anxiety last year and since then ive been going to therapy and ive been on lexipro and things have been getting better. im glad i finally got the help i needed because for years i denied the fact that i was mentally ill the same way you did, but i think we are both living proof that ignoring mental problems only makes them worse. someday i hope to use my challenging experiences to help others who are going through the same things i did

thanks for talking about this more you guys, papa bless

This video has finally motivated me to get help. There have been times I've reached out, only to back out at the last second. Not anymore.

did you know ethan spelt backwards is african bongo drums

Ethan & Hila, thank you so much for being brave enough to talk about this publicly! I've been feeling quite depressed as of the past year or so, "fighting with yourself" really hit home with me. My friend advised me to create a list/ chart of positives, negatives, and facts about each scenario that troubles me. That and finally telling myself that I'm a good person, not a decent one like I think with room for improvement, but genuinely a good person and ignoring the negative thoughts I've had has helped quite a lot. I don't think I have severe depression, never been diagnosed. I'm probably skating the line, but if anyone feels like what Ethan is describing, please tell someone, reach out for help, try the chart and positivity if it isn't too severe; but please, seek positivity and help. Only you can pull yourself out of depression, but people to listen and offer advice and medicine can help your mind boatloads. You may never stop having masochistic thoughts and blaming yourself for things, but you can learn to notice when it's outrageous and stop yourself. Same with anger problems, notice you're being an asshole and take a step back (another problem I'm getting over). Anyway, if anyone even read this far, thanks for listening; and even if I don't know you and you suffer from depression, I care about you because I've been there. Don't let depression win, and check out the manga/ anime Berserk. Thinking of Guts's life has gotten me through some tough times... Struggle on Struggler, don't let the hands of your perceived fate win.

Everything you said is me. My doctor prescribed depression medicine and I was also insulted and I refused to take them. I also thought antidepression medicine was a sign of weakness. Wish I would have. I will go back and get the prescription.

I am 17 and I feel like I’m extremely depressed. There are so many things that make me feel this way that I can’t list everything in the detail that would make enough sense to see why I’m depressed. I will say a shorter version instead. I’ve been feeling this way for almost 3 years starting with my dad telling me that my mom is thinking of getting a divorce. And while my dad told me that that was the first time ever since I was probably a baby or something since I have genuinely cried. That’s one major factor that’s causing me to feel this way. Another is that I had a crush on a girl for 4 years and I finally asked her out and she told me that she was with someone and it took me a while to understand that I can’t be with her at all. And that adds to the depression. There are tons of other things that are causing me to feel this way but it would take too long to list it. It’s even come to the point where I’ve thought about suicide multiple times. Please someone help me

depression is kinda not nice i believe

i used to feel so isolated so alone and generally depressed my therapist had me on anti depressants but they didn’t work i wasn’t every far from full on suicide but literally on the brink of death i found a guitar in a closet at my house and i pulled it out dusted it of and started playing and i’ve been better ever since i mean i still have rough spots and i get burnt out a lot but generally i’ve been better. music saved my life and i will always stand by finding a passion i would be dead without music

the second he mentioned that a friend told him about the “sliding scale” for therapy i knew he was talking about Christina P. from YMH. i love that they’re friends 😭

As someone with Depression I think back to this highlight constantly. I remember listening to this years ago, undiagnosed and relating to everything Ethan said. This was the first time I heard someone talk about depression so honestly. It’s because of this clip I ended up seeking help and getting the diagnosis. So thanks to Ethan for being an honest advocate for mental health.

I've been depressed/anxious for over 10 years and had been scared of taking medication. I started taking antidepressants about 6 months ago and they did help. Drinking enough water and Eating more fibre helps a lot too. The state of your gut has been proven to have links with mood.

i watch this clip evertime i feel shitty about my appearance or feel down, idk if im depressed, but this clip makes me feel better. ty h3

Holy shit Ethan! I really wanna hug you right now! You sound like you need it.

watching this 3 years later and i really connect with ethan saying he had a foggy brain. i find that im unable to concentrate and it’s a constant war with my brain. i am hard on myself at times but not to this degree where it has become unmanageable. irritable is definitely one that has manifested into my life. im not neccesarily annoyed, but i am reactive and triggered by everything. im emotional and wanna cry and idk why. im gonna talk to a professional soon ab my issues but i want to thank ethan for sharing his story. i only recently started feeling extremely depressed that it has been impacting my sleep schedule and caused me to feel restless 24/7, but going through that for years must’ve been tough.

My 6th year going through depression. I think it would always be a part of me, even when I recover. It would still be lingering somewhere in me. It's horrible.

I’ve been depressed for I’d say about 5 years. And it was so bad that I just couldn’t I couldn’t control how I felt. And I became so pessimistic so sad. I’d always defend myself say I’m happy. The next day I’d be bakeracted and I can say today. I’ve been treating well. I don’t feel as hopeless when things don’t go my way. And I have genuine happy moments now.

6:50 wow that really resonated with me I'm often times so easily made annoyed by things people do and I shouldn't be annoyed by those things and I don't want to be annoyed and lash out but I'm just so annoyed that I do and often regret it later I don't think I'm depressed (I don't match a lot of the other symptoms) and im getting better at not being annoyed but wow that definitely resonated

It took a long time for me to get help for my depression and anxiety, basically a nervous breakdown and suicidal feelings. Therapy has helped, and I take some meds. Breaking the stigma is so important, and I’m proud of you for your honesty.

I feel like im depressed aswell I always try and tell myself that im not but as Ethan listed off the symptoms I began to think maybe I am. I hate feeling like this I just wish I could go back to being happy. im constantly angry and I hate it the smallest things set me off. I used to love playing soccer and playing video games but now I don't care to play video games and soccer some times isn't fun at all. I don't want to go to a therapist or take any medication, I feel like I should just push through it. My families not doing good with money right now so I don't want to have to have them pay for that stuff because they already pay for many other things and Probably can't afford to pay for that stuff either.

I went to therapy as a kid and I remember having a full breakdown bc my mum told this lady (therapist) all of my trauma and I just remember her asking me about it and how it made me feel, I felt so embarrassed, ashamed and betrayed, I had to relive all that trauma in a classroom at my school, and like I'm so traumatized from it almost 10 years on (I'm 17) how both these grown women went about it so wrong and at the time I felt so confronted about it and scared and like why would you do that to a child, trauma isn't easy to talk about. (Ethans story about that therapist reminded me about this experience I had)

its crazy how Ethan echoed 100% how am feeling

I know this is a touchy subject but this is how I honestly feel about depression in most cases. Not all most. I had depression throughout high school. Had to do a program to pass because I couldn't do my work due to depression/anxiety. I would literally go days at school where every single class I would sleep the whole time. 7 periods nothing but sleep. Im not exaggerating. My anxiety was so bad. I had suicidal thoughts. I had no dad in my life. Luckily I have an amazing mom who taught me the value of a life. I ended up doing this school program and from sheer luck they gave me my diploma. Don't know how. For me personally (Im a spirtual person) I thank god and my mom for that. So after school my mom gave me a lot of me time. Another thing im thankful for. I didn't waste this time I was given. I started to get into the meaning of life, religions,spirituality, honestly anything that was introspective. The one thing I leanred was the root of my depression/anxiety or atleast a solution. I have a very Buddhist monk take on the way the mind works. Basically I became mindful. Now this is just my personal opinion but it's an opinion that I have thought about intensely and I truly beilieve in. Now I believe that depression in our society has become a way to make people think they need pills (Not saying you NEVER need pills) Instead of looking within to find a cure to our problems I feel like society puts a bandaid on them. In this case would be pills. I abused adderall in highschool. I built up such a tolerance I couldn't even get high off it anymore. I enjoyed adderall because it made me happy. Not depressed. It made me comfortable in my own skin and made me feel in control of my destiny. All adderall did for me was make me forget I had a problem I need to fix. (Bandaid) I tried many things to cure my depression. I got to a point to where I accepted that this is who I am. Looking back that's the act of giving in and letting my own mind defeat me. What cured me though was introspection, figuring out how to critically think, building wisdom, and being mindful. Basically I looked inwards to make my depression and anxiety go away. Mastering my mind is the journey im on now. I realized I was depressed and suffered from anxiety because I wasn't confident in my self and for good reason. I learned how to critically think and most importantly learned who I was and how my mind worked. The act of knowing myself well allows me to be mindful. Being mindful allows me to control my emotions. I wake up all the time and feel like shit, unhappy, anxious, tired but then I realize I control my mind and my mind doesn't control me.(mindfulness) Anyone struggling with anxiety or depression don't go to pills right away. Be conscious of your thoughts, learn who you are, find your purpose in life, and learn how to critically think. Love others and be grateful for the thing's you have. No matter if you're atheist or not love is the strongest emotion in the world. Spread it and receive it. Master your mind guys and improve everyday. You control your emotions. They don't control you.

I’ve been diagnosed with depression and anxiety

creativity is such an amazing outlet for people struggling with depression and/or anxiety. finally started taking my art seriously and not only has it opened up a career path but i feel more relaxed and proud of myself.

Look into getting brain scans. Often times, abnormalities in the brain cause depression and other psychiatric disorders. It isn’t just medication that can resolve problems.

Like Ethan, I didn’t know I was depressed until a psychiatrist told me I was. I’ve always struggled with anxiety, but didn’t realize that it, along with foggy thinking, irritability, and often randomly bursting into tears for no apparent reason, were all glaring symptoms of depression. Also, depression isn’t always cured by a change in lifestyle or environment. I eat really healthy, organic meals, I go outside and exercise everyday, I have family and friends who love and support me, I have a job that I enjoy and am also a writer (although writing when one can’t think clearly is basically impossible), I get up and ready in the morning, I attend therapy weekly, I’m trying medication, I listen to happy, upbeat music, I’m a Christian and pray everyday, and overall live a very good life. However, I’m still struggling with anxiety and depression more so than I have in the past. Truth is, depression/anxiety aren’t signs of weakness. They’re often just as real and impactful as a cold or a flu. Sometimes, they’re signs that you’re just worn out or super stressed. Personally, I have Cystic Fibrosis, and that has certainly contributed tremendously to my declining mental health. Also, depression/anxiety run in my family. I always believed showing my emotions and admitting that I’m having issues was a sign of weakness. In reality, showing my emotions and finding help were some of the bravest and strongest things I’ve ever done. And, guess what? I don’t exactly feel any better, but since I opened up to my therapist, friends, and family and asked for help, my mental health hasn’t gotten any worse. And, best of all, I’m no longer completely hopeless. Discouraged? Yes. Scared as fuck? Yes. Angry? Yes. Sad? Yes. But, am I hopelessly depressed and thinking about suicide? No. I know that, while it may take awhile, things will get better. I will start feeling more like myself again. It will just take time. And, that’s okay. So, remember kids, you’re not weak. You’re not lazy. You’re not worthless or unloved. You’re just not well right now, and that’s okay! It will pass.

Ethan, stop mirroring my feelings already. It was weird enough when you got into one punch man the same day, but this is too far

I don't wanna diagnose myself but very often i feel down, lonely or left out. I would say I have very mild depression at most. In my opinion, finding something you love doing is one thing that will help get your spirits up. I so happen to have taken up weight training at the gym about 3 years ago, when i wanted to lose some weight as a fat kid. Working out isn't for everybody, but I just happen to stick to it, which I still find weird because I never liked exercising. Weight training is what did it for me. If I'm out of the gym, for reasons like work, or exams at school, after about a month I get very eager to get back into the gym. Today, I went to the gym for the first time in about 1.5 months and my mood actually got better because of that. I can feel it. I'm not saying it has to be working out though. Could be anything. Fishing, painting, playing music, anything. It just has to be something that you're looking forward to doing or something that you just do along your day. Something that you can get good at. Something that will add to your character. My days felt incomplete without weight training, like everyday was left unfinished. Medication and sitting around will never get rid of depression very reliably or at all. It's up to you to do something about it, in my opinion.

I'm having my first therapy session this Wednesday. Wish you the best of luck Ethan

I'm 17 and have been dealing with depression for 4 years. At first before that I was just sad every few days and I would tell my friends (school or equal aged neighbors) instead of my parents cause the worry, judgement or disappoint they might have felt. Well my friends have always just told me to not think about it, but lately for a whole year now its gotten much worse. I can't stop thinking at all, I think about everything and anything of my life in every single possible way with mostly negative thoughts but I just try my best to hide it for my mother cause she's been through a lot and I learned that the family inherently has depression, so now I don't even want kids, I can't when I know I will most likely pass it down to them. I have 3 great friends of mine which I love a lot going through similar depression as me, so I feel like I am suppose to be there for them whenever I can without showing any weakness or negativity. The only thing I can imagine to do to help myself more than just happy positive thoughts and self motivations atm is to just keep fighting this until I am 18-21 where I live on my own apartment and secretly see a therapist and start to take anti-depresants.

happiness isnt found in the future it's found in the present and is only precious when it is in the past

I went to a therapist for about two months, and it really did help me, he did a bunch of shit that helped, but the biggest thing was that he just told me that it wasn’t my fault people treated me like shit, it was overwhelming because no one had ever taken a second to tell me that, it wasn’t my fault and I didn’t deserve it.

Papa Bless. Please Cure My Depression.

THANK YOU so fucking much for being this open about this and making it more "okay" so to speech being depressed and making it more acceptable from the general public. We need more people like you Ethan. I really appriciate it.

19:30 when Ethan starts talking about our instincts and evolution, this hit me really hard

this honestly made me cry. i just recently talked about my state of mind with my best friend and he was all like "this sounds like depression to me" and i still haven't come to terms with it even though deep down i've been knowing this for several years already...idek it's fucked and i don't wish anyone, even my worst enemies, to ever feel like this and especially not people i really like so i hope you get better soon.

Thanks for your openness and honesty Ethan. It’s helpful to hear what you go through. I relate deeply. Hope things are on the up and up with the new baby. Wellbutrin helped me BTW

As someone who has had anxiety and depression, it means a lot to hear people with a platform talk about this, especially men, thank you ! For those suffering, dont be afraid to talk to a friend, talk to a therapist or get medication. It won't be easy but it can get better

Watching the way Hila listens to Ethan externally process this makes my heart so warm

Thanks for sharing Ethan, I've been feeling this way for a few months now and seeing the way you handle things keeps me motivated.

With all these options nowadays it feels like you can miss out on so much - so you try so much "to make it happen". And this is so overwhelming. So maybe thats why everyone is so stressed especially the millenials are giving up on things so easily (me includet) cause there is just so much to deal with when you reach a certain level of knowlegde. Thats why we still watch spongebob at the age of 23. We want to feel as a child again. Cause our horizon was so limited back then, that we actually were excited about things and have been so focused on these. But as you grow up you learn that there is so much else. And its eventually accessible. And you try and need to focus on everything that you either quit because its overwhelming or you don't even start

I had depression since I was 7 and it sucks so fucking much. For the longest time ever I thought the way I have been feeling was normal

My entire life is ruled by my axienty n depression.. I cant even enjoy my friends anymore. Everyday is a battle.. If you suffer also just know your not alone..

Hey Ethan. This podcast helped me realize that I have depression also. I’ve had anxiety for a long time and recently events happened where I questioned if I had depression. I pushed it away because I always thought of it as a sign of weakness. It’s incredibly hard but thank you for this podcast.

Ethan we love you, remember that

I'm glad I'm not the only one feeling what you're feeling, thank you Ethan, I know you'll heal with time.

ethan i've always related to your anxiety and now your depression.. especially the whole denial of the depression aspect of it until you have that realization.. point being... prozac is a game changer for me and many others with the same feelings of fighting your brain every day. the only down side i've experienced so far is it makes me extra tired.. but i'd rather be tired than fighting my brain every day

As someone who also gets that head fogginess, thank you for being so open about your battle with derealization Ethan. You’ve helped me a lot in feeling less alone in experiencing that.

“People are depressed sometimes” ...that’s called sadness. Not depression.

Ethan and Hila, you helped me with clinical depression once. I laughed at your videos and my brain remembered how to produce serotonin. After 3 years of deep depression. Love you very much.