Skip to content

Developers and Depression

TODO: link to the powerpoint

Goal

  • destigmatize depression a bit
  • destigmatize medication a bit
  • notes for myself
  • management reason
  • being vulnerable can increase psychological safety
  • productivity 📈

Greg Baugues' story

  • the destructive power of shame and hiding
  • usefulness of diagnosis
  • Learn coping mechanisms and treatment
  • Medication
  • get help
  • everyone has a coach now
  • athletes
  • executives

What is stigma?

  • mark of disgrace
  • reduces someone to a tainted, discounted one

Why stigma is bad

  • discrimination and isolation become more common
  • example: not wanting to rent out to someone who's mentally ill

 

  • Self stigma: less likely to seek help

What causes stigma: Perceived peril

  • perceived peril
  • contracting AIDS
  • victim of being attacked by someone mentally ill

Perceived peril of someone with depression

Cause of stigma: Origin/controllability

  • origin/controllability
  • mentally ill: "snap out of it"
  • sexually transmitted diseases

What causes depression?

Why I'm doing this

Depression is a treatable illness

Depression is a side effect of the brain that some people have

Getting help

  1. Lifestyle 14. Exercise 15. Consistent sleep 16. Gratitude journal 17. Relaxation 18. Mindfulness
  2. Talk to your family doctor
  3. Get added to a waitlist to talk to a psychiatrist 3. get a full hour with a psychiatrist
  4. MindBeacon: 12 week free text therapy 4. https://www.mindbeacon.com/guided-cbt-programs
  5. Therapy 6. I personally use https://inkblottherapy.com/ 7. Find someone on Psychology Today 8. I found this overwhelming 9. If a therapist isn't working for you, look for another 10. therapists understand that they won't be the best fit for everyone 11. I read somewhere that people looked
  6. Drugs 10. Ketamine clinics 10. if you're willing to spend a lot of money 11. SSRIs 12. ~15+% of the population are taking them 13. anecdote: when getting anti-depressants for the first time, they ran out 14. swapping medications 15. sometimes some drugs don't work for you 16. there's a ton of other ones and new ones coming out 17. Trintellix 18. I freaking saw an ad for it on Yonge Street

What is depression?

Huberman Lab

During 2015–2018, 13.2% of Americans aged 18 and over reported taking antidepressant medication in the past 30 days

Note on drugs

You do get withdrawal symptoms after you stop taking for a few days

Lots of people can't quit

References

Last update: 2023-04-24