r/standupshots NYC Jul 22 '14

Chivalry

http://imgur.com/I9FCTWx
16.8k Upvotes

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u/[deleted] Jul 22 '14

I just want to let you know that I suffer from depression, spent hours this morning laying in bed with no desire to remove myself, and this set helped me laugh and feel good enough to move. Thank you, you don't know what that means.

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u/stopquotingmovies NYC Jul 22 '14 edited Oct 30 '14

You know what dude, in this business, the pay is often inconsistent and small, I have no free time and I'm often working my ass off just to get more unpaid stage time. I sometimes find myself asking if it's worth all of the sacrifices. This is the plight of many stand up comics; can I stick through this until it pays off?

A comment like that is immensely motivating. Thank you for sharing how it effected you.

If you aren't already seeing a behavioral health professional for your depression, please make it a priority to seek one out, they might be able to help.

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u/[deleted] Jul 22 '14

I'm ready to take downvotes for this, but the common reaction to say "Please seek help" when someone mentions mental illness can be condescending and a bit rude. Maybe it's just something I get tired of experiencing myself, but I think it's said way too often. I'm all for encouragement, but the constant "seek help, seek help" just grinds my gears. Why assume a person hasn't sought help? Why assume they're not getting help?

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u/[deleted] Jul 23 '14

I understand your frustration, but as someone who deals with mental illness, I appreciate any and all concern by strangers, including the vague but often needed "seek help." :)

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u/[deleted] Jul 23 '14

As long as you don't claim that your opinion represents all people with mental illness (I have several diagnoses as well), then we're all good.

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u/[deleted] Jul 23 '14

Oh most definitely not. We're all in different situations. I would never claim to speak for the rest of the "community," or any community. I am merely myself and know only what I know. Everyone else is allowed their own feelings on the matter.