Comments on: Depression Confession, Sort Of: Patrick Dempsey http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2007/12/20/depression-confession-sort-of-patrick-dempsey/ A blog about mental health Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:55:48 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Andrew http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2007/12/20/depression-confession-sort-of-patrick-dempsey/comment-page-1/#comment-2788 Andrew Fri, 21 Dec 2007 09:17:56 +0000 http://trouble.pwblogs.com/2007/12/20/depression-confession-sort-of-patrick-dempsey/#comment-2788 Liz, obviously I love your blog, but I have to question your recurring "Depression Confession" theme. A lot of the people you've featured on here certainly do struggle with mental illness, but a lot of them just face the normal emotional reactivity that anyone deals with. As someone with the seriousness of your condition, I would think you would certainly agree. Most of these celebrities just sound like they were in prolonged periods of despair. That's not a confession of mental illness, that's just a routine part of being human. Why should I experience any relief or less alienation from OCD or whatever anyone else here has because this guy was sad after his marriage broke down? Liz, obviously I love your blog, but I have to question your recurring “Depression Confession” theme. A lot of the people you’ve featured on here certainly do struggle with mental illness, but a lot of them just face the normal emotional reactivity that anyone deals with. As someone with the seriousness of your condition, I would think you would certainly agree. Most of these celebrities just sound like they were in prolonged periods of despair. That’s not a confession of mental illness, that’s just a routine part of being human. Why should I experience any relief or less alienation from OCD or whatever anyone else here has because this guy was sad after his marriage broke down?

]]> By: rebecca http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2007/12/20/depression-confession-sort-of-patrick-dempsey/comment-page-1/#comment-2787 rebecca Fri, 21 Dec 2007 04:29:55 +0000 http://trouble.pwblogs.com/2007/12/20/depression-confession-sort-of-patrick-dempsey/#comment-2787 he isn't quoted in the full text as saying he suffered through a period of severe depression. the writer said it. i don't know if dempsey actually said it though. the quoted text from dempsey definitely doesn't sound like the severe depression i've suffered, or like any actual clinical depression. it sounds tough but we can't tell from that text whether it was depression (according to dempsey's quotes). in any event, this article leaves me feeling like the author suggests that dempsey was "depressed" until he achieved "world-wide fame," and when that happened, his depression was cured! ... which sounds kind of crazy to me! he isn’t quoted in the full text as saying he suffered through a period of severe depression. the writer said it. i don’t know if dempsey actually said it though. the quoted text from dempsey definitely doesn’t sound like the severe depression i’ve suffered, or like any actual clinical depression. it sounds tough but we can’t tell from that text whether it was depression (according to dempsey’s quotes).

in any event, this article leaves me feeling like the author suggests that dempsey was “depressed” until he achieved “world-wide fame,” and when that happened, his depression was cured! … which sounds kind of crazy to me!

]]> By: Simon http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/trouble/2007/12/20/depression-confession-sort-of-patrick-dempsey/comment-page-1/#comment-2786 Simon Thu, 20 Dec 2007 17:23:17 +0000 http://trouble.pwblogs.com/2007/12/20/depression-confession-sort-of-patrick-dempsey/#comment-2786 hmmm.... i was perplexed by his "It took me two days to get psyched" comment also - surely one doesn't get over depression in 2 days?! i'd have to say they were suffering from disappointment rather than depression if that were the case. but then i re-read it and i think i've realized what was being said. he had a long-term severe period of depression following his marriage breakdown and thereafter was out of work and being rejected acting roles for many years. he lost belief in himself and got to the point where he would have to psyche himself up for 2 days before he could even face an audition. yeah that sounds like depression to me. hmmm…. i was perplexed by his “It took me two days to get psyched” comment also – surely one doesn’t get over depression in 2 days?! i’d have to say they were suffering from disappointment rather than depression if that were the case.

but then i re-read it and i think i’ve realized what was being said. he had a long-term severe period of depression following his marriage breakdown and thereafter was out of work and being rejected acting roles for many years. he lost belief in himself and got to the point where he would have to psyche himself up for 2 days before he could even face an audition.

yeah that sounds like depression to me.

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