Honestly, I feel like this episode is the single best depiction of what depression feels and looks like (at least in my case) - it's not necessarily that you are sad 24/7, it's just that the joy is sucked out of everything, everything becomes underwhelming and honestly, kinda bothersome, more like a chore rather than an enjoyable activity. It's not that you are down, it's more like everything around you becomes, well, shit. And you don't really manage to enjoy shit. And that's what pulls you down eventually, And then you just... give up. It's not worth it anymore, so why put in any effort into anything? Why clean my room if it's still looking like shit afterwards? Why shower if I still look and smell like shit afterwards and if the water on my skin feels like shit? You just stop caring about anything when everything is shit, because let's face it, nobody cares about shit.
@@DoctorElliottCarthyexactly, it’s the pervasive numbness and emptiness, and you feel like it’ll never get better. The one thing I find that can distract me from the numbness is strangely, caring for my aquariums, I think it’s because they represent one aspect of my life that I *AM* able to completely control…
@@DoctorElliottCarthy Man, I can relate to STAN. this episode actually premiered a year before my mother passed. ever since she passed away, I haven’t been the same.
@@DoctorElliottCarthy what makes it great is that this topic is directly talked and referenced about for YEARS in later episodes. it is also used to explain stans and randys alcoholism
The sequel to this episode has Stan become an alcoholic (In a parody of Matrix) where drinking Jack Daniels makes the world "Seem less like shit." I think it's a good episode to talk about.
Abe Simpson: I used to be "with it", but then they changed what "it" was. Now what I'm with isn't it and what is it seems weird and scary to me. And it'll happen to YOU!
Interesting fact, Matt and Trey actually wrote these two episodes because they sensed that South Park became stuck in the immaturity of their early days. The whole Randy storyline depicts how they kept trying to recapture those early days, but ultimately felt unhappy and needed to "grow up"... in the later seasons, the storylines became longer, more complex, and actually matured :)
I used to think I had teenage depression until I realized it was just boredom. Once I accepted being bored all the time my depression went away. Befor that I got into the habit of moping around thinking there was more to life, feeling sorry for myself to where it was normal. I realized I brainwashed myself into depression. So I actively started brainwashing myself in reverse until it became normal not feeling sorry for myself out of habit.
My step brother was just like that growing up, every time I had a birthday and got presents he had to get one also. It's like he couldn't comprehend that the universe didn't revolve around him. He was a very weird child and looking back he clearly had a lot of undiagnosed mental conditions as this was 30 years ago.
Do you by any chance hapoen to have a scar in the shape of a lightning on your forehead? On a more serious note, my condolences. Its very hard growing up among constant rivalry.
My boyfriend would always say that anything he doesn't like sucks, and we have a different taste in food, music, and movies. It was annoying, but I could handle it. But when our daughter was born, I put my foot down and told him to rephrase it to "I don't like it" instead of "barney sucks/ is stupid" because the latter implies that she likes things that suck or that she must be stupid for liking something stupid, but everyone is allowed to have their different opinions on what they like or don't like. And we have talked about how even if we don't like something for ourselves, we can be happy that it brings joy to people we love, and we love watching our daughter sing and dance and smile.
This is a two part episode if I'm not mistaken. In the second part the school guidance counselor suspects Stan is on the autism spectrum and ends up in a support group with a bunch of conspiracy theorists.
This is part one of a two parter. To be complete, you’d really need to also cover the Ass Burgers episode, it has a lot of resolution to the stuff in this episode and a lot interesting psychologically. Like Stan starts drinking to like things again, and his depresssion is diagnosed as “ass burgers” syndrome due to vaccines.
I'm so glad to see you watch this episode. I remember watching this for the first time and being so surprised at how well potty humor was used to show depression.
Thank you so much for looking at this episode. As someone who has been dealing with depression since childhood, I saw so much of myself in Stan and it was fascinating to hear what a professional had to say about it ❤
My therapist is leaving. It's breaking my heart and there's not a damn thing I can do about it. Sometimes I feel like the only reason good people come into my life, is so it can hurt more when they're gone.
I heard everyone's taste in music is "What I was listening too from 16-25" and it locks in. For most people it seems to be true (See the recent spate of nostalgia pieces talking about how Limp Bizkit "was really good"))
While I agree for the most part, I think it’s hard to argue that music made after 2010 has the same cultural importance as music from the 60s-90s, and I’m only 27 There are a ton of valid reasons to disagree with that, but I don’t think music will be “part of the revolution” like it once was.
One of my favorite Family Guy cutaways is old Stewie in the future jealous of young people, saying “Stupid younger generation. Back in my day we had Katy Perry, and Justin Bieber. That was REAL music!” 😂
I honestly didn't know Stan had depression when I first saw this episode. My depression is feeling down and hopeless. I've never heard of these symptoms of depression where everything is viewed negatively. Very educational. Thank you!
Wow, this is so true. I bipolar 2 and spent 10 years hardly leaving my house. I listened to the most depressing music and even had a playlist named Sad. I couldn't listen to happy songs, they just made me feel worse. I pushed everyone I knew away, and they all took the bait. They left. I needed people around me more than ever and there was no one there. They didn't know the right techniques. They still don't. Thankfully I eventually found a great psychiatrist and therapist who worked well with me and didn't give up on me. Eventually we found the right med combo and I learned all the techniques to live life again. Obviously bipolar is a life long condition and I am in a depressive state again but I don't think I'll ever get as low as I was during those 10 years and I know now that I got of it once so I can do it again. That's hope.
*shakes fist* "Back in my day, we had to walk FIFTEEN miles to school uphill in the snow! And we didn't even have shoes, so we had to stand in cowpats to keep our feet warm!"
One of the reasons people think their music was better is they’ve forgotten all the awful music and can view older times through the lens of their preferences. It gets harder to wade through the muck to find the pearls but they’re always there.
The way you explain how depression works makes the way my depression was about a decade ago make more sense. I focused on a lot of he negatives, "work is terrible so why try when I get there", "my room is so small that it doesn’t matter if I clean it because it will still look like shit", "I am fat and ugly, and I will always be", stuff like that. I only improved after getting away from the environment and things I hated being around for so long.
Getting along with people can be extremely difficult when you have mental problems. I don't suffer from depression but one of my most severe problems is extreme apathy. I'm basically completely incapable of feeling any motivation or concerns, or ambitions whatsoever. And getting people to understand that is extremely difficult. Even my treatment is basically making no progress cause I'm incapable of feeling any motivation to feel better. And trying to explain that to people can be really difficult.
If they want to make the depression depiction extra authenthic, stan will end his own suffering after all his friends and family eventually distance themselves from him over the years. And when he does, they'll unonimously call him a selfish coward.
I still remember being 15 and listening to a baseball coach, when consoling a teammate about the suicide of one of his friends, say that suicide is the single most selfish act anyone could do. Turns out the coach was a serial adulterer, so him giving a lecture on selfishness is extra hypocritical. But the social stigma around painting those with suicidal ideation as just being selfish is a level of fucked up that teenager me would struggle to reconcile for years, even through the times when that thought crossed my own mind
Please don’t apologize for discussing defense mechanisms, Dr. Elliot! They were one of the topics on my clinical exam, and I’m not even practicing medicine. I’m a social worker. Psychiatrists discussing defense mechanisms is legit one of the things that helped me pass my exam.
Thanks for covering this. It is such a sad episode of South Park and it has really stayed in my memory. It was great to hear a psychiatric explanation as to what was happening to the characters.
12:00 Bill Hader is actually doing one of the characters here. There is a video on youtube where you can see how they recorded that scene. I highly recommend watching it, because these guys went crazy laughing and having such a blast doing it. Has to be one of the funniest videos on youtube :D
In a world where two men stand side by side, Connected by a bond, no need to hide. Eight inches of friendship, not what you think, It's the measure of trust, stronger than a link. They navigate life, facing highs and lows, Through laughter and tears, their friendship grows. Eight inches may measure more than length, It's the depth of their bond, a source of strength. Through thick and thin, they stride together, Facing storms and fair weather. Eight inches, not a physical measure, But a symbol of friendship, a lasting treasure
"Is the key to depression all about trying to have a more positive mindset?" - This is something that I actually have some firsthand experience with. As a note, this is evidenced by one person's experiences, and should in no way be taken as peer-reviewed. I found that a more positive mindset without additional assistance was helpful, but only for a short length of time (a matter of months). I have a feeling it could certainly assist with recovery if there is sufficient willpower along with other structures and methods to assist with dealing with depression (including but not limited to: therapy, medication, social support networks, and work support networks). The point of this is to say it is fascinating that it has an effect, but it is far from a "solution".
I think it is a solution, just not for everyone. As with many other complex illnesses, there can exist many different methods depending on the person. For me for example "force pushing through it" has been the most effective way to deal with difficult times all my whole life so far. It requires patience but it worked for me. Although I never recommend or insis people around should do the same, everyone is different.
I don't remember where I heard the phrase "Asking a depressed person 'Why are you sad, you have so much to be happy about?' is like asking an asthmatic person 'Why are you so short of breath, there's so much air around?' " or something to that extent, and that's the analogy I use to explain depression to people now; I think it's a good one.
I certainly have lost friends due to my depression. I don't leave the house anymore. Because I can't. So I'm completely isolated. But a big part of me doesn't mind that. I've seen what's outside and I don't like it.
Due to trauma and a messed up childhood, during covid (where I was trapped in a house with a guy I just started dating that I stupidly moved in with at the beginning of covid), something happened that caused regression. I regressed so far that I couldn't speak (connected to fear) for months. It was so unbelievably frustrating, and the fact that it lasted so long was terrifying as well. Plus side though, my parents couldn't call me, they had to text me lol.
I kinda hate how humans like one word concepts instead of using a descriptive title. Like the word "syndrome" creates a strong reaction in people, while in reality it's usually just the way a person thinks in a certain case.
There's a lion sanctuary in South Africa run by Kevin Richardson and they successfully introduced 2 older lions by spraying them in the nose with oxytocin before having them spend time near each other.
The mention of intranasal oxytocin intrigues me. Oxytocin is a big part of my job as midwife and I was always taught that synthetic oxytocin doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier, so it doesn't give the same happy/lovey effects as endogenous oxytocin. Curious as to how intranasal works on the brain? A quick Google does suggest there's some debate as to how well it does work
It’s interesting. I’ve struggled with major depression since I was about 13 when I gained a disability. I have always been somewhat cynical and stubborn, but when I was younger it was more along the lines of, why do we do things the way we do them And I was never satisfied with the because we do “answers. But as I got older and then started having a mood problem. It became cynicism and scepticism, which in someways I am glad to have. But it can also stray into firmly negative territory. Interestingly however, when I was around friends, they would just start calling me negative, and then that became the butt of a joke, which actually just shamed me into keeping my mouth shut altogether, which just added another layer to what was already messing with me. It’s not that they were necessarily wrong. I found them to airy fairy la de da, and I found it hard to be like that. But constantly getting called out on it actually made me worse internally, even though I probably seemed better externally because I just learned to shut up because I realise nobody wanted to hear it and then attached, those feelings to more lack of self-worth. I think this episode does this stuff really well.
I relate so well, people think I enjoy doing maintenance on bikes but I find it boring and get a yay done after completing but then like meh 5 seconds later
It was also a reflection on south park season in the first half season 15. Humancentipad, funnybot,royal pudding, tmi, were some of the most poorly written episodes imo. It was rare for SP to have several bad episodes in a row. It was second half of season in Autumn that the episodes picked up steam again and can see the difference in writing.
I remember at the time we thought this was Matt and Trey telling us they were tired and the show may be ending. They later confirmed on the commentary that this wasn't true
i like the idea of regression not necessarily being a bad thing, what if in some cases thats the brain trying to go back and properly complete that stage of development when we were forced to the next one earlier in life than when we were ready
As for the generational aspect of the episode I think it depends on what you were exposed to growing up, I was born in 84 so technically I'm a millennial, but an older one who finds more in common with Gen-X, but growing up, entertainment wise, I watched and listened to a lot of stuff from past decades, I have no problem listening to classical music or complain about the lack of color in a black and white movie and even silent movies don't bother me, though all of that slowed down by the mid 2000's, now I barely keep up with anything new, it's more miss than hit and I go back more to the past decades for entertainment, the only new thing I keep up with is anime.
Another analogy I read was food. Being depressed is like being hungry like anybody else, but everything tastes like unseasoned mashed potatoes. No enjoyable taste or texture. Have you tried this food or that? No, _everything_ tastes like unseasoned mashed potatoes.
Im not a doctor, but if its true that your brain doesnt finish developing until your 20s then it makes sense that the music you listen to in your formative years is taken in and connected with much more deeply than the newer music you'd listen to when you're older
The theme with everything sounding and tasting like shit to Stan is something I can relate to all too well. It describes how I started feeling when my depression became a lot worse perfectly.
I really hate when people call me negative. I'm depressed, but I wouldn't say I have a "negative bias". Sometimes I call out Objectively bad things, either because it bothers me, or I just want to discuss it. Instead I'm met with "You're so negative", etc. I get that people want to live in fake happiness all the time, but I never liked being fake. Honestly, I don't believe I'm really depressed. My mood is just down because I can't seem to find people that like me.
It’s weird, I find myself on the fence of depression. I’m not being overly negative a lot of times but I still find very little joy in most things. I tell myself I’m just more practical in nature and that people are just too emotional with the little things but I guess it’s not normal to win at something and go “alright, cool” or to look at most recreational activities and call the useless
Neurology, Brain anatomy, Biology, and psychodynamic/CBT are all in your content. You are a very fine psychiatric Doc.....dude👍.(wish I hadn't watched The Big Lebowski again recently)
Can't wait until you eventually watch the Insecurity episode. It's hilarious. We see how paranoia can spread quickly as the result of misunderstandings.
You know, a lot of people think this episode is about Depression, but I've always thought that this episode was Matt and Trey subtly hinting that they were tired of making South Park. At the time, I thought this was either the Series Finale or it would come soon. But that was like fifteen years ago. Nowadays, Animated Comedies don't end, they just go on forever, quality be damned. The Simpsons, Family Guy, South Park, Futurama... they just keep making new episodes and they're not funny anymore, but the money keeps coming in, so whatever.
If you are in the US, be very wary of family therapy. Ask a lot of questions if it is your therapist, and make sure you trust them. If it is someone else's therapist, ask more questions. If it is specifically a christian therapist (not a therapist who believes in any particular faith, but therapy that is specifically organized around christianity) and you are underage, don't say a thing. A lot of those places do not require their "therapists" to have a degree, they will tell your parents everything, because of the christian idea that you should respect your parents and always obey them, they will always take their side, and often they can traumatize you more. If you are under 18, speak to a counselor or therapist at your school. Schools are underfunded, so it won't be great, but they will be a much safer option, especially if your parents fucking suck. But they do have to report child and s*xual abuse, as well as if you are a danger to yourself or others, which is a requirement for all therapists. They can't prescribe you medication, but they can suggest a psychiatrist to your parents. And a christian therapist can't prescribe either. So you are still in better hands.
We think music was better in our day because children have a higher capacity to feel happy and make memories. Music is a tool we use to relive feelings of the past. Music of now is just music, music of our time invokes happier memories
Just wanted to say, I recently watched your reaction to It's A Sin and instantly became a fan of this channel. I have a suggestion. Please PLEASE do A Normal Heart. World AIDS day is December 1st. Just sayin'. I'd love to see your take on this movie. I read the book and I think the movie does it great justice. I think that's due to the fact Larry Kramer and Ryan Murphy worked closely together so that the movie was as accurate as possible. It's a devastating movie, but an important one on LGBTQIA+ history.
No wonder why i couldn't listen to songs the same way i used to,i lose the spark, everything sounds the same for me Im seeking help right now :D hope my depression will be gone sooner or later
Stan is the most relatable character ever though I see things different than he does. It’s still crappy. I am in a time in life where all I’m trying to do is have a good life but it’s kind of impossible because of past decisions making it so a lot of things are screwed up now
The Tween wave thing I still dislike how parents interpret it as garbage because I got 2 albums got my birthday of Ice Cube Death certificate and Biggies Ready to die took those albums from me because they thought it was bad looking and lost theme never forgave theme for that
would love to hear your insight into the new robbie williams documentary on netflix, it’s all about his struggles with mental health at a time where it wasn’t as well understood
Until recently, I thought I had kept up with music and was proud of myself. But recently I have come to accept that I don't understand modern music and what I thought would never happen to me.has
Hey i have problems when i get depressed it like i can hurt myself and anyone else not think twice but finding a relationship whith our lord took the voice away
I've never made a video request before, so please forgive me if this isn't the way to do so. I am kind of curious if you would be interested in reacting to Family Guy s10e2 "Seahorse Seashell Party" where Meg confronts her family about how they treat her and/or Family Guy s8e17 "Brian & Stewie" where the duo discuss living with purpose, depression, and self unlifing (censoring because im not sure if YT will allow the real word) As a kid, with an unhealthy amount of free access to shows to I shouldn't have been watching, these two episodes had a key role in my journey to understanding my own mental health and being able to reflect on emotions. Albeit, healthy role models or more like things that mental health shouldn't be. Obviously no obligations involved. Just a preemptive thank you, should you choose to review them. Also please don't worry about any offense being taken either way. I understand that my interpretations and meanings will not always match those of others.
Honestly, I feel like this episode is the single best depiction of what depression feels and looks like (at least in my case) - it's not necessarily that you are sad 24/7, it's just that the joy is sucked out of everything, everything becomes underwhelming and honestly, kinda bothersome, more like a chore rather than an enjoyable activity. It's not that you are down, it's more like everything around you becomes, well, shit. And you don't really manage to enjoy shit. And that's what pulls you down eventually, And then you just... give up. It's not worth it anymore, so why put in any effort into anything? Why clean my room if it's still looking like shit afterwards? Why shower if I still look and smell like shit afterwards and if the water on my skin feels like shit? You just stop caring about anything when everything is shit, because let's face it, nobody cares about shit.
So many patients describe the emptiness of depression to me over and above intense lows or sadness. It's the nothingness
@@DoctorElliottCarthyexactly, it’s the pervasive numbness and emptiness, and you feel like it’ll never get better.
The one thing I find that can distract me from the numbness is strangely, caring for my aquariums, I think it’s because they represent one aspect of my life that I *AM* able to completely control…
@@DoctorElliottCarthy Man, I can relate to STAN. this episode actually premiered a year before my mother passed. ever since she passed away, I haven’t been the same.
@@DoctorElliottCarthy what makes it great is that this topic is directly talked and referenced about for YEARS in later episodes. it is also used to explain stans and randys alcoholism
I'm terribly sorry @@123theprodigy5
Stan’s Depression being “treated” with Scientology was such a good episode as well 😂
The sequel to this episode has Stan become an alcoholic (In a parody of Matrix) where drinking Jack Daniels makes the world "Seem less like shit." I think it's a good episode to talk about.
Oh snap I'm Stan
The two farmers always send me into stitches, "Come on Britches! We're settin you free!"
Trey Parker & Bill Hader! The behind the scenes of them doing the voice recording is hilarious!
The scene when the cops take the underwear back gets me every time 😂
@@juankusoff i wish they kept the line "it's like some sort of breeches holocaust" 😭😭
Abe Simpson: I used to be "with it", but then they changed what "it" was. Now what I'm with isn't it and what is it seems weird and scary to me. And it'll happen to YOU!
It's truly impressive Matt and Trey managed to create a pretty powerful analogy of depression with toilet humour of all things
Interesting fact, Matt and Trey actually wrote these two episodes because they sensed that South Park became stuck in the immaturity of their early days. The whole Randy storyline depicts how they kept trying to recapture those early days, but ultimately felt unhappy and needed to "grow up"... in the later seasons, the storylines became longer, more complex, and actually matured :)
I used to think I had teenage depression until I realized it was just boredom. Once I accepted being bored all the time my depression went away. Befor that I got into the habit of moping around thinking there was more to life, feeling sorry for myself to where it was normal. I realized I brainwashed myself into depression. So I actively started brainwashing myself in reverse until it became normal not feeling sorry for myself out of habit.
My step brother was just like that growing up, every time I had a birthday and got presents he had to get one also. It's like he couldn't comprehend that the universe didn't revolve around him. He was a very weird child and looking back he clearly had a lot of undiagnosed mental conditions as this was 30 years ago.
Do you by any chance hapoen to have a scar in the shape of a lightning on your forehead?
On a more serious note, my condolences. Its very hard growing up among constant rivalry.
My boyfriend would always say that anything he doesn't like sucks, and we have a different taste in food, music, and movies. It was annoying, but I could handle it. But when our daughter was born, I put my foot down and told him to rephrase it to "I don't like it" instead of "barney sucks/ is stupid" because the latter implies that she likes things that suck or that she must be stupid for liking something stupid, but everyone is allowed to have their different opinions on what they like or don't like. And we have talked about how even if we don't like something for ourselves, we can be happy that it brings joy to people we love, and we love watching our daughter sing and dance and smile.
This is a two part episode if I'm not mistaken. In the second part the school guidance counselor suspects Stan is on the autism spectrum and ends up in a support group with a bunch of conspiracy theorists.
This is part one of a two parter. To be complete, you’d really need to also cover the Ass Burgers episode, it has a lot of resolution to the stuff in this episode and a lot interesting psychologically. Like Stan starts drinking to like things again, and his depresssion is diagnosed as “ass burgers” syndrome due to vaccines.
I'm so glad to see you watch this episode. I remember watching this for the first time and being so surprised at how well potty humor was used to show depression.
Thank you so much for looking at this episode. As someone who has been dealing with depression since childhood, I saw so much of myself in Stan and it was fascinating to hear what a professional had to say about it ❤
My therapist is leaving. It's breaking my heart and there's not a damn thing I can do about it. Sometimes I feel like the only reason good people come into my life, is so it can hurt more when they're gone.
I heard everyone's taste in music is "What I was listening too from 16-25" and it locks in. For most people it seems to be true (See the recent spate of nostalgia pieces talking about how Limp Bizkit "was really good"))
While I agree for the most part, I think it’s hard to argue that music made after 2010 has the same cultural importance as music from the 60s-90s, and I’m only 27
There are a ton of valid reasons to disagree with that, but I don’t think music will be “part of the revolution” like it once was.
One of my favorite Family Guy cutaways is old Stewie in the future jealous of young people, saying “Stupid younger generation. Back in my day we had Katy Perry, and Justin Bieber. That was REAL music!” 😂
I honestly didn't know Stan had depression when I first saw this episode. My depression is feeling down and hopeless. I've never heard of these symptoms of depression where everything is viewed negatively. Very educational. Thank you!
Wow, this is so true. I bipolar 2 and spent 10 years hardly leaving my house. I listened to the most depressing music and even had a playlist named Sad. I couldn't listen to happy songs, they just made me feel worse.
I pushed everyone I knew away, and they all took the bait. They left. I needed people around me more than ever and there was no one there. They didn't know the right techniques. They still don't. Thankfully I eventually found a great psychiatrist and therapist who worked well with me and didn't give up on me. Eventually we found the right med combo and I learned all the techniques to live life again.
Obviously bipolar is a life long condition and I am in a depressive state again but I don't think I'll ever get as low as I was during those 10 years and I know now that I got of it once so I can do it again. That's hope.
*shakes fist* "Back in my day, we had to walk FIFTEEN miles to school uphill in the snow! And we didn't even have shoes, so we had to stand in cowpats to keep our feet warm!"
One of the reasons people think their music was better is they’ve forgotten all the awful music and can view older times through the lens of their preferences. It gets harder to wade through the muck to find the pearls but they’re always there.
As a cynical asshole, this episode really spoke to me.
“Britches” are an “American cowboy’s” term for pants. Lol
I actually like music from the late sixties through eighties even more than my generation of music, nineties through early 2000’s.
“It sound like dubstep” 😂😂😂THANK YOU.
The way you explain how depression works makes the way my depression was about a decade ago make more sense. I focused on a lot of he negatives, "work is terrible so why try when I get there", "my room is so small that it doesn’t matter if I clean it because it will still look like shit", "I am fat and ugly, and I will always be", stuff like that. I only improved after getting away from the environment and things I hated being around for so long.
"...with questionable ethics" Micro aggression
South Park really is incredible in how they, through pee pee poo poo humour, portray real life stuff, often really dark and or serious stuff.
Getting along with people can be extremely difficult when you have mental problems. I don't suffer from depression but one of my most severe problems is extreme apathy. I'm basically completely incapable of feeling any motivation or concerns, or ambitions whatsoever. And getting people to understand that is extremely difficult. Even my treatment is basically making no progress cause I'm incapable of feeling any motivation to feel better. And trying to explain that to people can be really difficult.
I'm just glad that Randy was able to live his dream and become a music star
Ya ya ya
What ferrrr?
If they want to make the depression depiction extra authenthic, stan will end his own suffering after all his friends and family eventually distance themselves from him over the years. And when he does, they'll unonimously call him a selfish coward.
I still remember being 15 and listening to a baseball coach, when consoling a teammate about the suicide of one of his friends, say that suicide is the single most selfish act anyone could do. Turns out the coach was a serial adulterer, so him giving a lecture on selfishness is extra hypocritical. But the social stigma around painting those with suicidal ideation as just being selfish is a level of fucked up that teenager me would struggle to reconcile for years, even through the times when that thought crossed my own mind
"sounds like dubstep to me" 😂😂😂
Please don’t apologize for discussing defense mechanisms, Dr. Elliot! They were one of the topics on my clinical exam, and I’m not even practicing medicine. I’m a social worker. Psychiatrists discussing defense mechanisms is legit one of the things that helped me pass my exam.
3:58 "sounds like dubstep to me" 😂 I agree
Stan needs to read the book 30 Days to Reduce Depression by Harper Daniels.
Thanks for covering this. It is such a sad episode of South Park and it has really stayed in my memory. It was great to hear a psychiatric explanation as to what was happening to the characters.
Randy has had so many midlife crises I’ve lost count lol
12:00 Bill Hader is actually doing one of the characters here. There is a video on youtube where you can see how they recorded that scene. I highly recommend watching it, because these guys went crazy laughing and having such a blast doing it. Has to be one of the funniest videos on youtube :D
I had depression but someone said to me: "dude don't be sad" and then i said "yeah, you're right" so i stop being depressed.
In a world where two men stand side by side,
Connected by a bond, no need to hide.
Eight inches of friendship, not what you think,
It's the measure of trust, stronger than a link.
They navigate life, facing highs and lows,
Through laughter and tears, their friendship grows.
Eight inches may measure more than length,
It's the depth of their bond, a source of strength.
Through thick and thin, they stride together,
Facing storms and fair weather.
Eight inches, not a physical measure,
But a symbol of friendship, a lasting treasure
Please do the next episode “Ass Burgers”! It’s a great follow up to this episode!
Dr. Elliot getting defensive about defenses. 6:00
🤣
Great episode and a great reaction to go along with it. Really hope you check out the sequel to this episode as well, cheers! 🙂
"Is the key to depression all about trying to have a more positive mindset?" - This is something that I actually have some firsthand experience with.
As a note, this is evidenced by one person's experiences, and should in no way be taken as peer-reviewed.
I found that a more positive mindset without additional assistance was helpful, but only for a short length of time (a matter of months). I have a feeling it could certainly assist with recovery if there is sufficient willpower along with other structures and methods to assist with dealing with depression (including but not limited to: therapy, medication, social support networks, and work support networks).
The point of this is to say it is fascinating that it has an effect, but it is far from a "solution".
I think it is a solution, just not for everyone. As with many other complex illnesses, there can exist many different methods depending on the person. For me for example "force pushing through it" has been the most effective way to deal with difficult times all my whole life so far. It requires patience but it worked for me. Although I never recommend or insis people around should do the same, everyone is different.
I don't remember where I heard the phrase "Asking a depressed person 'Why are you sad, you have so much to be happy about?' is like asking an asthmatic person 'Why are you so short of breath, there's so much air around?' "
or something to that extent, and that's the analogy I use to explain depression to people now; I think it's a good one.
I have ocd and am very afraid that people wil get sick of me because of it
I certainly have lost friends due to my depression. I don't leave the house anymore. Because I can't. So I'm completely isolated. But a big part of me doesn't mind that. I've seen what's outside and I don't like it.
Due to trauma and a messed up childhood, during covid (where I was trapped in a house with a guy I just started dating that I stupidly moved in with at the beginning of covid), something happened that caused regression. I regressed so far that I couldn't speak (connected to fear) for months. It was so unbelievably frustrating, and the fact that it lasted so long was terrifying as well. Plus side though, my parents couldn't call me, they had to text me lol.
It's a two partner. Gotta watch the second one as well.
"Humans are Just weird" would be a Merch/ Shirt i would buy😅
There is a part 2 that takes this episode in a new direction that you should react to.
Really brilliant videos ! Thanks!
I kinda hate how humans like one word concepts instead of using a descriptive title. Like the word "syndrome" creates a strong reaction in people, while in reality it's usually just the way a person thinks in a certain case.
There's a lion sanctuary in South Africa run by Kevin Richardson and they successfully introduced 2 older lions by spraying them in the nose with oxytocin before having them spend time near each other.
This episode was pretty great. I think I saw it around the same time as Melancholia and between the two, I thought "yeah, maybe I should get on meds".
The mention of intranasal oxytocin intrigues me. Oxytocin is a big part of my job as midwife and I was always taught that synthetic oxytocin doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier, so it doesn't give the same happy/lovey effects as endogenous oxytocin. Curious as to how intranasal works on the brain? A quick Google does suggest there's some debate as to how well it does work
Are you gonna react to part two? That one has such a good message of acceptance and then a funny twist on it at the end.
Stan's parents remind me of the parents of an old friend of mine.
It’s interesting. I’ve struggled with major depression since I was about 13 when I gained a disability. I have always been somewhat cynical and stubborn, but when I was younger it was more along the lines of, why do we do things the way we do them And I was never satisfied with the because we do “answers. But as I got older and then started having a mood problem. It became cynicism and scepticism, which in someways I am glad to have. But it can also stray into firmly negative territory. Interestingly however, when I was around friends, they would just start calling me negative, and then that became the butt of a joke, which actually just shamed me into keeping my mouth shut altogether, which just added another layer to what was already messing with me. It’s not that they were necessarily wrong. I found them to airy fairy la de da, and I found it hard to be like that. But constantly getting called out on it actually made me worse internally, even though I probably seemed better externally because I just learned to shut up because I realise nobody wanted to hear it and then attached, those feelings to more lack of self-worth. I think this episode does this stuff really well.
I relate so well, people think I enjoy doing maintenance on bikes but I find it boring and get a yay done after completing but then like meh 5 seconds later
Does the reticular activating system have much of a role to play with the negative bias associated with depression?
I hope you watch the episode right after this one, because it’s a direct sequel continuing with Stan’s issues
Trey Parker wrote by himself this about his depression. It was super concerning when this came out.
It was also a reflection on south park season in the first half season 15. Humancentipad, funnybot,royal pudding, tmi, were some of the most poorly written episodes imo. It was rare for SP to have several bad episodes in a row. It was second half of season in Autumn that the episodes picked up steam again and can see the difference in writing.
I remember at the time we thought this was Matt and Trey telling us they were tired and the show may be ending. They later confirmed on the commentary that this wasn't true
You’re getting closer to 100k subscribers!
i like the idea of regression not necessarily being a bad thing, what if in some cases thats the brain trying to go back and properly complete that stage of development when we were forced to the next one earlier in life than when we were ready
How about the collaboration with Doctor ER? That will be great!
As for the generational aspect of the episode I think it depends on what you were exposed to growing up, I was born in 84 so technically I'm a millennial, but an older one who finds more in common with Gen-X, but growing up, entertainment wise, I watched and listened to a lot of stuff from past decades, I have no problem listening to classical music or complain about the lack of color in a black and white movie and even silent movies don't bother me, though all of that slowed down by the mid 2000's, now I barely keep up with anything new, it's more miss than hit and I go back more to the past decades for entertainment, the only new thing I keep up with is anime.
i did lose some friends because i pushed them away during depressive moments. sometimes i wish i did things differently then
Don't know if you have seen the video, but there is one that breaks down whether or not Cartman is a psychopath or not.
Another analogy I read was food. Being depressed is like being hungry like anybody else, but everything tastes like unseasoned mashed potatoes. No enjoyable taste or texture. Have you tried this food or that? No, _everything_ tastes like unseasoned mashed potatoes.
Im not a doctor, but if its true that your brain doesnt finish developing until your 20s then it makes sense that the music you listen to in your formative years is taken in and connected with much more deeply than the newer music you'd listen to when you're older
The theme with everything sounding and tasting like shit to Stan is something I can relate to all too well. It describes how I started feeling when my depression became a lot worse perfectly.
I really hate when people call me negative. I'm depressed, but I wouldn't say I have a "negative bias". Sometimes I call out Objectively bad things, either because it bothers me, or I just want to discuss it. Instead I'm met with "You're so negative", etc.
I get that people want to live in fake happiness all the time, but I never liked being fake. Honestly, I don't believe I'm really depressed. My mood is just down because I can't seem to find people that like me.
6:37 So like… is classical music just not a thing in the _South Park_ universe?
It’s weird, I find myself on the fence of depression. I’m not being overly negative a lot of times but I still find very little joy in most things. I tell myself I’m just more practical in nature and that people are just too emotional with the little things but I guess it’s not normal to win at something and go “alright, cool” or to look at most recreational activities and call the useless
I was thinking of I'll be missing you by puffy
I hope you will do the next episode as well, the story is not over yet, its a 2parter ;)
Neurology, Brain anatomy, Biology, and psychodynamic/CBT are all in your content. You are a very fine psychiatric Doc.....dude👍.(wish I hadn't watched The Big Lebowski again recently)
Can't wait until you eventually watch the Insecurity episode. It's hilarious. We see how paranoia can spread quickly as the result of misunderstandings.
I think Sharon was wrong to forbid her son to listen to music just because she didn't like it, but Randy took it too far by trying to be hip with it
You know, a lot of people think this episode is about Depression, but I've always thought that this episode was Matt and Trey subtly hinting that they were tired of making South Park.
At the time, I thought this was either the Series Finale or it would come soon.
But that was like fifteen years ago. Nowadays, Animated Comedies don't end, they just go on forever, quality be damned.
The Simpsons, Family Guy, South Park, Futurama... they just keep making new episodes and they're not funny anymore, but the money keeps coming in, so whatever.
This is a two part episode.
Pleeeeeease do the second part 'assburgers'
I solve the problem of being a bummer to be around when my depression takes a nosedive. I find the nearest rock to hide under and don't come out 😆
Depression is such a hideous pain and I can't believe I wasted my adolescence using anti-depressants.
If you are in the US, be very wary of family therapy. Ask a lot of questions if it is your therapist, and make sure you trust them. If it is someone else's therapist, ask more questions. If it is specifically a christian therapist (not a therapist who believes in any particular faith, but therapy that is specifically organized around christianity) and you are underage, don't say a thing. A lot of those places do not require their "therapists" to have a degree, they will tell your parents everything, because of the christian idea that you should respect your parents and always obey them, they will always take their side, and often they can traumatize you more.
If you are under 18, speak to a counselor or therapist at your school. Schools are underfunded, so it won't be great, but they will be a much safer option, especially if your parents fucking suck. But they do have to report child and s*xual abuse, as well as if you are a danger to yourself or others, which is a requirement for all therapists. They can't prescribe you medication, but they can suggest a psychiatrist to your parents. And a christian therapist can't prescribe either. So you are still in better hands.
We think music was better in our day because children have a higher capacity to feel happy and make memories. Music is a tool we use to relive feelings of the past. Music of now is just music, music of our time invokes happier memories
I've actually met young people who prefer music from my time more than the current music. I feel validated.
Just wanted to say, I recently watched your reaction to It's A Sin and instantly became a fan of this channel. I have a suggestion. Please PLEASE do A Normal Heart. World AIDS day is December 1st. Just sayin'. I'd love to see your take on this movie. I read the book and I think the movie does it great justice. I think that's due to the fact Larry Kramer and Ryan Murphy worked closely together so that the movie was as accurate as possible. It's a devastating movie, but an important one on LGBTQIA+ history.
Come on britches we’re setting you free 😂 I was waiting for that part
12:30 nah bro that is a legit cirticism in a lot of games.🤣
I hope you watch the next episode titled "Ass Burgers" as its a continuation of this episode and actually concludes it
No wonder why i couldn't listen to songs the same way i used to,i lose the spark, everything sounds the same for me
Im seeking help right now :D hope my depression will be gone sooner or later
Stan is the most relatable character ever though I see things different than he does. It’s still crappy.
I am in a time in life where all I’m trying to do is have a good life but it’s kind of impossible because of past decisions making it so a lot of things are screwed up now
Hi, can I skip anti psycotics dose once a week
The Tween wave thing I still dislike how parents interpret it as garbage because I got 2 albums got my birthday of Ice Cube Death certificate and Biggies Ready to die took those albums from me because they thought it was bad looking and lost theme never forgave theme for that
would love to hear your insight into the new robbie williams documentary on netflix, it’s all about his struggles with mental health at a time where it wasn’t as well understood
Until recently, I thought I had kept up with music and was proud of myself. But recently I have come to accept that I don't understand modern music and what I thought would never happen to me.has
Hey i have problems when i get depressed it like i can hurt myself and anyone else not think twice but finding a relationship whith our lord took the voice away
Steamy Nicks. I see what you did there
Back in my day music was bad, now its worst, but my parents music is great
I've never made a video request before, so please forgive me if this isn't the way to do so.
I am kind of curious if you would be interested in reacting to Family Guy s10e2 "Seahorse Seashell Party" where Meg confronts her family about how they treat her and/or Family Guy s8e17 "Brian & Stewie" where the duo discuss living with purpose, depression, and self unlifing (censoring because im not sure if YT will allow the real word)
As a kid, with an unhealthy amount of free access to shows to I shouldn't have been watching, these two episodes had a key role in my journey to understanding my own mental health and being able to reflect on emotions. Albeit, healthy role models or more like things that mental health shouldn't be.
Obviously no obligations involved. Just a preemptive thank you, should you choose to review them.
Also please don't worry about any offense being taken either way. I understand that my interpretations and meanings will not always match those of others.