Antidepressants don’t work, You just hate your job

Antidepressants don’t work, You just hate your job.

Listening 13 minutes

@shantellewrites After years of neuroscience research, I began this blog once I found my beliefs validated by Johann Hari’s book: Lost Connections: Why You’re Depressed and How to Find Hope. Years later, I finished it after working about 5 more jobs. I had to start a new job before I completed this blog—to double-check I’m writing it ‘Wright’. 

Depression doesn’t mean something’s wrong with you. 

“Depression is the body saying, ‘Fuck you! I don’t want to be this character anymore.’”

-- Jim Carrey, Depression is a call to Deep Rest.

Who’s Not Acting?

In low-paying jobs, you do the MOST WORK with the MOST SURVEILLANCE. The more you get paid, the least likely you are to take drug tests, punch time clocks, and beg for time-off. You get paid to think. You are a better person. In Jerry McGuire, Dorothy Boyd says to her son:

“First class, that's what's wrong. It used to be a better meal, now it's a better life.”

The less I get paid the more I gotta break my back and get feedback on how I breathe. No more catered lunch, my broke ass gotta pay for everything. I am to deaden all signs of uniqueness and debate. There’s no advanced placement nor fast track. I’m dying from boredom. This is my favorite line in the cult-watch movie Office Space:

Peter Gibbons:

So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life.

Dr. Swanson:

What about today? Is today the worst day of your life?

Peter Gibbons:

Yeah.

Dr. Swanson:

Wow, that's messed up.

Laissez-faire

“To believe the American Dream you have to be asleep.”

-Malcolm X

In my eighth grade government class, I realized that I didn’t sign the social contract to work for the rest of my life. I realized we weren’t free. Perhaps it would’ve been better if I’d realized 20 years later like Peter. Well I guess not, I still hit the wall at the same age. I still thought I could beat the system if I just played the game best, but when workers gamble, the house wins.

Laissez-faire in French means “leave-to do”, so laissez-faire capitalism means leaving the people to do their business, without the government interference you’d see in communism or socialism. Capitalism is supposed to bubble and then burst. See, after an economic depression, people are forced to reinvent themselves and create new products and services. The old way, like rapidly approving high-risk housing loans, will eventually garner attention and need for regulation, so the government can’t leave them to do it anymore.

A Depression ironically makes it very clear that poverty is an illusion. COVID made it very clear that we were being robbed of something more, time at home. I’m not the only one to wonder where all the stipend and Ukraine support money came from; since it’s not backed by gold, it’s infinite. Money is energy only because it can have the power to motivate you or to paralyze you. How could paper and numbers on an ATM screen have the ability to control supreme reasoning beings on this big rock floating in space? How could not having it stop your ability to create your future? I read my daughter Animal Farm to teach her my favorite quote:

“Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

-George Orwell

Teachers are just people

I saw so many adults behaving in shady ways, that I taught my daughter my mantra for school at an early age, “Teachers are just people”. I know they should be good and fair and nice, but let’s be real, they are underpaid, kids are annoying, and like teachers, can be petty or even dishonest. Great teachers CARE: Celebrate mistakes, Appreciate differences, Relay feedback, and Evaluate themselves.

When my drop dead gorgeous daughter and her loyal bestie were jumped by these 2 ugly chicks and their grown ass family when she got off the school bus, I was at work 2 subways and an hour and a half train ride away in New York City. The one time I decided to focus on the meeting and ignore my daughter’s call, she needed me. I was so worried and hysterical on my way home that a stranger hugged me and held me on the subway to Grand Central.

With video, the school principal said he couldn’t pick sides. He decided my daughter couldn’t attend the spring formal, that we bought the perfect dress for last weekend. So instead of overcoming her humiliation and connecting with her friends for support at a fun event, she—the victim, should be isolated. No matter how unfair, the ignorant man tried to wield the power I don’t believe in.

 “The most important thing is you must put everybody on notice that you’re here and you are for real.” 

- Kobe Bryant

Pulled up on the dark  side street by the gymnasium the dance was being held in. She was nervous but I assured her that his decision was wrong and everyone needs to see that dress. Why should she suffer more after what happened to her? Fashionably late is best. Time to go step on them bitches necks. And she did.

And then she got kicked out. And then she was a legend for being bold. A couple weeks later, the principal also got his 15 minutes of fame in the newspaper with a picture of him pinning a student against their locker. And then he got kicked out. L-O-L!

Connection is the Cure

Being disempowered is frustrating. Frustration leads to depression and then isolation. You can stop reading the blog now after this if you just want the answer. You need friends. If that seems impossible, leave a comment to talk to me. I can talk with anyone and make it fun!!!

“Isolation is the dream-killer, not your attitude”

-Barbara Sher, TEDxPrague

What if we made you do what you want to do? Society already makes you do what you have to. We need Success teams. Join the waiting list if you’re interested in beta-testing my new app to reconnect people in a new way—a social network in real life. Leave a comment if you would like to be matched with mentors trained to listen when you vent and cheer when you create.

Antidepressants don’t work on kids because they don’t buy the story. They are not in control and their purpose is influenced by parents trying to live through them, or failing to respect them as little adults. If they were in charge of themselves, perhaps they could believe that they could bring more excitement to their work, their gym, their relationships.

The Help

It’s clear to a child that taking a pill won’t change their parents and household. They can’t just change schools, even when bullied. They’re forced into factory-style school environments controlled by tired, fickle, authoritarians. JUST LIKE US! So parent yourself first. No matter how you feel at work, remember this: 

“You is kind. You is smart. You is important.”