I agree that something needs to be done to help those suffering from mental health problems, but I can't say I know how to solve it, the best I can think of is that people who are suffering need to seek help and when they do, they can get it. I appreciate Matt putting out this video, its an important message and if it helps some of his large fanbase then it's done some good.
But that video was almost too much for me, it reminded me of one of my worst fears, that someone very close to me will kill themselves. For my entire adult life I've been close to someone who for many years suffered from depression, eventually attempting suicide, it was my brother and luckily another family member found him and he was rushed to hospital. Ever since then the idea haunts me and if I don't hear from him for a while I make an excuse to see him or get somebody else who knows to check. Years before the incident, his depression was apparent to me and I managed to talk with him about it several times, he didn't want to though and I'm not sure he was ever completely honest with me or the few others that knew. It was a very difficult time for the few of us involved, I tried to handle it as best I could. He seemed to improve and in time I moved away (we shared a place for a few years), but obviously he was not well and just concealing it more, I know he hated that his depression had effects on me and other family members. After I took him home from the hospital, we talked about what he was going to do regarding therapy, his job and stuff like that. This was, about 6 or 7 years ago and for a while the subject has hardly come up, it does now and then, but maybe he's just hiding it, it's hard to know. I think I trust him to be honest but there's that nagging feeling. He has quit drinking, the night he attempted suicide he was drinking heavily and I think that helped push him, so I see him quitting drink as a sign that he doesn't feel comfortable letting his mind be affected and his judgement altered. He has told me that on that night, the thought just appeared in his mind, a sudden decision that he was going to kill himself and he tried. Being drunk probably also saved his life as he texted my sister weird messages that he didn't really know he was sending, that got her concerned and luckily another family member lived close by and went round to find him barely conscious and bleeding. I don't even want to think of what that was like, it's a horrible feeling. Meanwhile I was completely unaware, I only found out in the morning. I have regrets about that time, things I couldn't have known and I realise that. That makes it scarier though, that even if things seem normal, I might find out he killed himself one day. I'm not consumed by these thoughts and worries, its just that they will probably always be there from time to time. I do think he's better, if not completely, then significantly, I just have to hope if he is suffering he will talk about it. This video seemed to describe a similar situation except nobody was able to intervene and I feel deeply sorry for Matt and those involved, I consider myself very lucky in comparison.
So yeah, depression is a weird thing and I really don't think there will ever be a complete fix, you'll have sufferers that won't help themselves and then those that want help but are condemned by those close to them. The signs can be totally different too, so you could miss them or interpret depression when its actually something else. I currently work with at least one person who is suffering from a breakdown, nobody treats him differently though. It's a difficult issue and neither the sufferer or others really know how to handle it. I think thats the general situation with mental health.
