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Culture War Roundup for the week of July 14, 2025

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Ok, but on an individual level, don’t you want a solution that works for you

Assumes that there is a solution that works for your individual situation. I know that for me, personally, there's no fixing my problems — I'm a defective sub-human with no reason to live, and should probably spare myself the decades of pointless misery that lie ahead and just gas (helium) myself now.

Look, this is worth nothing, and I am no therapist, but I feel like a cry for help should get some kind of answer. I don't know you or your life situation. I don't doubt it's shitty for you to feel like this. But "defective subhuman" sounds pretty dramatic and very unlikely, and as for "decades of pointless misery," there are some things that are outside your control and some things that are not, and very people are truly fated to "decades of pointless misery" for reasons entirely outside their control.

I won't go further since I am not diagnosing you or trying to probe more into your "problems." If you just wanted someone to hear you, I hear you. If you want solutions, they exist.

If you want solutions, they exist.

[Citation needed].

I've been on psych meds and getting therapy since 2004.

Edit:

I don't know you or your life situation.

I've posted on my situation repeatedly here on the Motte (and the subreddit before that, and SSC before that), if you search through my post history.

He‘s always been like this. @Capital_Room , take some happy pills, for god‘s sake. @self_made_human what do you recommend?

@Capital_Room , take some happy pills, for god‘s sake

This is me on "happy pills." I've been on multiple psych meds, including antidepressants, since my first suicide attempt back in 2004.

They‘re not working, are they? More dakka, I want you drooling. And try shrooms and more illegal psychedelic drugs like the doctor ordered.

try shrooms and more illegal psychedelic drugs

What part of "illegal" (and can't afford, and wouldn't know how to get) and "schizophrenic" (psychedelics and hallucinogens are known to make it much worse) are unclear to you?

I could have sworn that I'd previously and seriously advised him to see a psychiatrist or therapist IRL. It certainly can't hurt. I'm not supposed to diagnose him with clinical depression, but let's just say it rhymes.

Alas, I don't know of any actual happy pills, but a small helping of magic mushrooms did wonders for me.

(This is excluding the possibility that his life and personal circumstances are utterly FUBAR, which happens more often than I'd like. But what can I do about that? I'm a shrink, not a miracle worker.)

I could have sworn that I'd previously and seriously advised him to see a psychiatrist or therapist IRL.

I've been seeing therapists, and on psych meds, since 2004. This is me with those.

This is excluding the possibility that his life and personal circumstances are utterly FUBAR, which happens more often than I'd like.

I've talked about them on this forum before, if you're willing to search through my posting history to find them.