Health

This Response to an Antidepressants-Shaming Meme Deserves an A+

May 27th 2016

By:
Almie Rose

If you were worried we've become too understanding and empathetic towards people struggling with depression, the Facebook page "Truth Theory" has the meme for you!

Depression affects nearly 19 million Americans in one year alone, and some of those Americans are surviving with depression thanks in part to antidepressants. One of them is Jenny Chiu, a writer/actor/activist who was "pissed off" by this "extremely harmful" meme created by Truth Theory and reposted by Earth. We are One.

Truth Theory via Jenny Chiu/Facebook - facebook.com

"Hello, I'm Jenni Chiu and this image pisses me off," Chiu writes on Facebook.

Here's an excerpt from some of her response to the meme:

"May is Mental health Awareness month and I can't think of a worse way to raise awareness than with this irresponsible image (recently posted by the page Earth. We are one.)
I find the top part of this image to be absolutely true. Meditating outside, breathing fresh air, taking a break from the blue light of my electronics - that all helps my brain and body tremendously.
I find the bottom part of this image to be stigmatizing, and extremely harmful to those who struggle with mental illness. It is irresponsible and IT IS FALSE.
[...] Disclosure: There were several years of my life where I was on a cocktail of meds (prozac was one of them) and they literally kept. me. alive.
Depression and anxiety are mental ILLNESSES. Not all illness can be cured with fresh air and sunshine. Sometimes chemical imbalances in the brain need to be supplemented. It may not be the answer for everybody, but it is definitely a life saver for some."

She then channels her anger into supporting those who may need it:

"If you manage your mental illness by taking medication, I AM PROUD OF YOU. If you are considering talking to your doctor about medication, I AM PROUD OF YOU."

"If you are able to manage a mood disorder naturally, I AM PROUD OF YOU. If you are considering talking to your doctor about weaning off of or changing medications, I AM PROUD OF YOU."

"If you have an entire arsenal of mental health tools that include a combination of prescriptions, meditation, art therapy, exercise, sunshine, multiple yoga poses, and several flavors of gelato, I AM PROUD OF YOU."

"If you wake up to live another day... If you open your eyes and face those same demons that left you so exhausted the day before... If you continue to grace us all with your existence, I AM PROUD OF YOU...
and I thank you."

And here's the most amazing part.

Almost everyone in the comments section on her post was in agreement that the meme was terrible.

Jenny Chiu/Facebook - facebook.com

And that's not all.

People also admonished Earth. We are One., the Facebook page Chiu shared the image from, and the original Facebook page they shared it from, Truth Theory.

Earth. We are one./Facebook - facebook.com