The state of mental health in the US is hitting a tipping point.
The epidemic of mass shootings I think of as a sort of societal suicidality, too, so individual suicides hitting an all-time high is unsurprising.
When what we are is intrinsically determined by capitalism, it’s not enough to try to better ourselves; we have to cease to be ourselves.
Banger article! Thanks for sharing
Damn, that was powerful.
It's cold to say, but I've always wished more on the Left would consider being more...ahem...productive with their desire to end their lives. Making a splash at Mar Largo or La Cerce or Bilderberg or somewhere else.
But, to paraphrase the article, the suicidal can barely vacuum their apartment, let alone carry out an elaborate mission. Fair I guess. But how come the Nazis always seem to have the energy to shoot up a Walmart on their way out? I guess their targets are far easier to reach.
The ol' "Propaganda of the Deed" -- we live in a world where building explosives, firearms, chemical and other weapons at home is easier than it has ever been, due to the widespread availability of knowledge of construction, and increased access to things like 3D printers. We also live in a world where large-scale horizontal organization has become easier than ever.
I think it's important that we don't fetishize bloodshed, since killing individuals in locations such as those won't dismantle the systems; simultaneously, I don't believe that terrorism is fundamentally counterproductive, on the reasons that it's "bad optics" or that it can be used as a justification for repressing the left. Terrorism is blood theater, and like any theater, it's up for interpretation.
I think I'm broadly more impartial to sabotage, blocking, occupying, or destroying buildings, and giving cops flashbacks to Sanrizuka. That's what I'd like to see.
I do think optically almost all of the above actions would be, ultimately, well recieved, except by those who were never interested in tangible, radical change to begin with.
That bullshit would only hurt the leftists who survive. Capitalists are only the high priests of capitalism, they are replaceable. The effective ruler is capital itself.
I think it would hurt us in the eyes of civil society, but not in the eyes of the disgruntled and apolitical. Seeing some of these business elite actually be targetted would be unprecedented, it would be immense publicity. I think the mainstream media would froth at the mouth with hatred but the undercurrent everywhere would be one of approval.
I agree that it is the system, not any individuals, but it would be a modicum of justice and would perhaps be inspirational to everyone.
I will admit I have an accelerationist bone in my body and I would say this could probably be called accelerationism.
Accelerationism in such an overwhelmingly rightwing country with no organized left is necessarily to the benefit of fascists.
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But this is a great system that the whole world needs to adopt, and if they don't we will make them at gunpoint
Why does this article not mention the comoditization of food and housing. Or the link between capitalism and depression. Or classism.
still a liberal capitalist media outlet. it's always about drugs or whatever else they come up with, never the crushing weight of capitalism that strips every human of their soul and tries to destroy us under pressure.
Having gone through some of that myself, it always annoys me to no end how liberal outlets hyperfocus so hard on the methods (and banning of those) or vague "reducing stigma" rather than actually addressing literally any of the reasons people consider dying. I understand that there's no "one-size fits all" solution, but really basic stuff like having access to mental healthcare, or, in the case of their listed example, dignified drug rehab, being relegated to half a paragraph while they spend most of it talking about guns.
How about public funding for free mental healthcare in order to combat a mental health crisis? No? Or how to build local communities for support and mutual aid? Not that either? Or literally just listing reasons people did it so we can think of solutions? Nah, let's talk about the absolute only thing that Democrats and Republicans actually sorta disagree on, that is tangentially related to this, but will never actually change due to how entrenched gun culture already is in the USA.
CW: Suicide Methods
Research indicates that firearms aren't even that much more effective than some other suicide methods, though they obviously require some more preparation. I doubt banning guns is going to do much, and just actually reading the low rates of mortality and all the cases of people who survived it to a long lifetime of suffering and severe disability was enough to convince me that it is just a horrible risk to take, even if you actually believe that it is worth it.
If there is a nation that actually needs actual humanitarian aid from the USA, it is the USA.
If there is a nation that actually needs actual humanitarian aid from the USA, it is the USA.
Pretty sure the only "humanitarian aid" that the USA ever gives out is just guns and bombs. Remember the "aid convoys" that Venezuela captured at the border?
Remember the “aid convoys” that Venezuela captured at the border
I don't actually. Link, please?
https://theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/06/venezuelan-troops-blockade-bridge-to-stop-aid-from-colombia
And in a sense that is what the USA already gives to their citizens. But would be cool if they actually gave you food, healthcare and housing and stuff. You know, humanitarian stuff.
not from the US, but in my country all the talk about 'raising awareness' and 'destigmatizing' mental illness has also been followed by a systematic dismantling of public mental health care treatment services
Oh yeah, Google thinks I'm Br*tish because I love watching their country burn, and whenever I searched about mental health it gave me liberal idealist nonsense from the Mind Group that wants to privatise the NHS. Lovely bunch.
One thing that can ironically save the life of a severely depressed person is a lack of initiative and energy (this is a reason that people sometimes only commit suicide after going on antidepressants, because they remain depressed but have recovered enough to have more motivation), so I think measures to prevent a method that is probably the most sure with the least work and preparation (gun) would probably reduce rates. That said, the way that depression is treated as purely a matter of internal pathology and not of the world being fucked up and pushing you to that place is terrible and much more important.
It does make a bit of sense, and there are other sane reasons to do gun control in the USA and stop their gun cults. It's a bit hard to get statistics on "unsuccessful" attempts because how it gets reported varies a lot, so although firearms are usually the most lethal, I'm not sure if they're the most prevalent when considering the failed ones.
But this is a common tactic of their media outlets, to frame every social problem as if the only way it could ever be solved is by voting Blue harder or convincing the Republicans to be normal, or some other nonsense. They always frame it in such a way that implies that common people have zero agency besides voting once every two years and maybe emailing a "representative."
I'm no church lover, but even churches can sometimes be more materialistic on these matters of social decay than the libs.
They're too busy with identity politics or whatever this week's circus show is. Or maybe some establishment ghoul will put on a pin or commemorative hat.
Starting tomorrow is "yellow September", so just watch a bunch of health privateers dressed as insurance companies putting on a show about how "you matter to somebody (financially)" or "it gets better (with my service)."
Bourgies and libs have infiltrated every aspect of people's mental health and somehow made it worse.
This is a sign of a corrupt and despicable
capitalistfascist system.If I'm ever in such a tough spot, I'm sure as hell gonna take some fascist scum with me.
Still I am not able to understand how can Americans be okay with giving $100 billion to ukraine and MIC. It's a sick society, working class people are in misery and top layers are full of deranged warmongering zealots
The war machine has grown so huge and corrupt that the entire value they extract from the rest of the world goes directly to the military so they can keep operating. At some point it has to collapse on itself.
It's more like they're so comically unaccountable that they can just demand whatever amount of money they want no matter if it'll be used for military spending. The Pentagon can't account for most of its assets, literally trillions worth of stuff, and I imagine it's the same story for the rest of the MIC.
This article is about Australian suicide rates but the main point applies: the determining factor when it comes to suicide is poverty.
https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/the-point/article/understanding-the-suicide-crisis-raising-people-out-of-poverty-is-prevention/5cew2lugr
Even if that wasn't the case, the main advertised methods for helping are medication, therapy, lifestyle changes, better diets and exercise, all of which are heavily bounded by one's financial condition.
People do as they will, but they do so while bound by their social conditions, or something of the sort.
Well that's exactly it. If you've suffered from abuse and trauma but you live in poverty, you won't be able to afford the resources to manage your mental health. As well as the added weight of homelessness, hunger, debt collectors coming after you, can be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
The trend of murder-suicides has gone up quite a bit, too. There's something especially monstrous about someone murdering strangers, exes, or their own family before killing themselves, the entire "you're coming with meeeeeeeeeeeeee" aspect of it.
Peak American
violence. "My deathdrive is at peak so I'm taking you with me." Its like the final treat of a chuds lifeIts like the final treat of a chuds life
I wouldn't blame someone for finding this to be a dumb comparison, but I think it's surprisingly appropriate. It's an opportunistic attempt at satisfaction motivated by the prospect of being freed of all personal responsibility (and perhaps the lack of internalizing that you can't be smugly satisfied if you're dead), just stimulating some nerves for the sake of it, others be damned.
The common feature of a reactionary is the desire to abdicate their responsibilities to society and humanity.
I like to ride that line between dumb and surprisingly appropriate
As recently as this morning I was wishing that I could shoot my brains out because I still obsess over how I disgraced myself in public nearly one year ago, and months earlier when I told a couple of friends about this they did basically absolutely nothing to help. Dwelling on their interactions has only made me want to stay away from them, so I haven’t talked to anybody on Discord in almost one month. I’m lonely, but I feel like if I try reinteracting with them, they’ll only disappoint me again, so it’s better to stay alone.
There are still a few things that prevent me from taking my life: 1) I don’t want my stepdad to feel guilty, 2) I have enough reasonability to recognize that I’ll feel less suicidal later, 3) my medications help me somewhat, and 4) I have a feeling that even if I really tried to kill myself I’d only fuck up again, like the bullet would only incapacitate me mentally without killing me. Usually when I try something for the first time, something goes wrong, so that would be pretty typical.
My standard of living isn’t even particularly awful. It’s okay, but the trade‐off is that I have to live with a severe depression that stays with me like cancer.
Comrade, I think you could really benefit from therapy. Many of the things you are saying are reminiscent of similar thoughts and feelings I've had a habit of getting stuck in throughout my entire life. It's a numbers game to find a good therapist without even approaching the problem of insurance and access to therapy, but the single most effective thing I've done.
Being able to talk through the struggles and contradictions in your mind is one of the first steps to reprogramming how you think about yourself. Identifying the source of negative ruminations is tough to effectively do on your own. Cognitive behavioral therapy is good, but you know what's even better? Dialectical behavioral therapy. ;)
If you don't have access to traditional therapy, finding a therapy group/community to join may be an effective and free alternative, such as Al-Anon. You sound like you feel alienated from those around you, but also from yourself. Community is part of the answer to this. It's tough to open yourself back up, but it's worth it. Take that risk to reach back out to people, reprogram your mind to treat yourself with love and kindness, and you will someday look back and be thankful toward yourself for those efforts. Would you be comfortable treating others in your life the way you abuse yourself within your own mind? I suspect not. You deserve love from external sources, but also yourself.
As an aside, even if you feel like your posts in capitalisminddecay are inconsequential, I can tell you they have been one of the most informative and fascinating parts of my experience on Lemmygrad. Keep up the good work. As hard as it can be in those moments, I find it comforting to know that at my lowest points the only way to go is up. Life will improve. It's a journey filled with challenges and while each person has their own destination, travelling with company, with a community you build around you, makes that journey much more enjoyable.
Comrade, if you go I will miss you.
There's not really much I can say to help you but personally I found this video helpful for times when I have the hot flush of embarassment for something I did a long time ago: toxic shame: what it is and how to heal from it
I think you are awesome here. I'm sorry to hear that you experience that level of depression.
I remember making a resolve to do what I see is right even if I can't be happy, because then I'd be acting in opposition to everything that I hate. I work with what I understand to be good to nourish it in this world. I don't seek to be good myself, but just do what is necessary to produce good in this world for what I am capable of. If others call me good I'm flattered, but don't take it personally. If others oppose me for being a communist I ask them what I am doing wrong. They never respond in anything of substance so I disregard them. I find myself frustrated by the lack of power that the communist parties have where I live.
I suggest you experience a dialectal relationship with people outside online spaces for a bit and just focus on finding what good there is around you. Also know that everyone socially highlights the beautiful and hides the ugly. The ugly that is hidden in shame is not something that you experience yourself alone, but people don't reflect that when performing their best selves online. If you look for it you can find it. Yes therapy and healing from toxic shame is good.
I can tell you are someone that seeks to do good in this world, and that choice alone makes you different than most other people. (may I even say you are better than most?) If you are burdened by the weight of the world, understand it is not your burden alone to carry. Do what you are capable of for the world, but also don't forget to nourish your emotional well being with friendship. I'm sorry I can't do much more.
Getting good therapy helps if possible.
I'm really bad with expressing positivity, but since in the post you linked you mentioned that your posts don't get much traction, I just want to explicitly state here that I really like your posts.
Hopefully things get more manageable for you, even if I have nothing tangible to offer here. Good luck!
Yeah, I'm in this picture - attempted back in December. In order for me to regain hope I had to focus on the goal of leaving the US and moving to China.
What are some resources you could recommend on learning Hanzi? If you've been learning the language I mean
I've just been looking through a chinese-english dictionary and watching youtube videos. I plan to take a class once I go to China - I feel like that's gonna be the easiest way
Hey (sorry to necropost)
I took the plunge and moved to China. You'd be surprised how far you can get with just translate apps. Obviously it's kinda rude to put no effort into learning the language but it's not the most urgent thing to me
For what it's worth, I'm very glad you're still here. I hope to move to China eventually as well, with my family and some loved ones. We can keep in touch and meet up.
Thank you - that means a lot. I'd love to meet up when the time comes.
